The Beginning
by Mikaela's Spade
Summary: The first chapter is basically a history of the caricatural development, which then proceeds directly to realtime storyline. Reviews are appreciated!
1. Default Chapter

I'd never been much of a writer.

I could never really find a way to express what I was seeing or feeling on paper. That's why I started drawing. Yeah, sure I could edit and bounce ideas around, but for some reason, I was never able to put my ideas in an order that made sense to the simplest logically inclined person. Impossible.

I'd discovered my talent at an early age, but never really understood the depth or magnitude of it until about age fifteen. I'd always been a bit of a daydreamer, and was never able to turn in a perfectly blank document. There was always _something_ doodled in the margin or on the heading, and it frustrated my teachers to their 'wits end' as Mrs. Dubose frankly stated, after I'd turned in my French paper covered in thought provoking scribbles. My art teacher loved me, though. I considered myself lucky, 'cause I was always given plenty of time and space to work my magic with oils and canvas. He never bothered me, never lectured me (unless it was on a way to improve my technique), he just gave me the freedom to release my creativity and feeling onto the paper in any form I desired. I was the goofy, silly kid in all my classes except art and English. Mostly because I took my art very seriously, woe-betide the person that interrupted me, and I was a voracious reader. In junior high we had had to do a book report on a classic novel. Naturally I picked something impossibly hard, spent more time reading it than studying it, and eventually wound up presenting it to my class instead of turning in a paper for some semblance of a grade. My English teacher, Mrs. McKinney- a jolly Irish woman, never complained much about those episodes, since I got my speech practices out of the way and managed to actually capture the classes attention, a feat she had been long due to accomplish. Maybe it's just my bizarrely cheerful attitude. Like everyone, I have my ups and downs on this emotional roller coaster, but mine are always hidden behind a smile and a friendly word. Only my very closest friends, my immediate family (mostly because they put up with me 24/7, poor guys!) and a few very perceptive people are able to tell what I'm _really_ feeling, what's behind the mask. It's amazing how well I've come along as an actress. Maybe I should try out to be one of those makeup models with those overly happy grins. Ha, yeah right- I'd probably end up making faces at the camera.

Which brings me to another junction in life. I got bored with the whole school thing, and threw my services to the military. Of course me being me, I picked the Marine Corps- the elite U.S. fighting force. All in all, during my five years active duty I served in two wars (more like one big one), started out as a photographer, then lat moved (changed jobs) into the NBC field. NBC is the Nuclear Biological and Chemical warfare training. It's complicated so I won't go into it. I'd rather not relive that part of my life. Even though I relive it every time I look in the mirror.

There'd been an accident, hence my early 'retirement' from the good old' Corps. Hell, I would've retired early anyway- I was getting sick of the bullshit, and the idiots I worked with. Basically, I'd gone to a crash course in chemical and biological weapons training. Don't ask, I can't tell. As non-existent as I am, even I have some secrets to keep. It's just better that people don't know. Essentially myself and a few others (more like 20 of us) were working with this biological engineering company, seeing what types of chemicals would work best with our little project that the government threw at us. Then the accident happened. It was a 'purple environment', which in English means that it was a multi-service operation. Joy, I get to shoot the shit with the Squids, GI's, and the Chair-force. We were overseeing the transport of hazardous materials to a refrigerated vehicle, for transport to the base we were stationed at. Can't tell ya which one it was either.

To cut a really, _really_ long explanation short, somebody pulled a stunt that almost cost thirty people their lives, killed six people, and caused a massive contamination and control episode the government had trouble keeping under wraps. Seems they have a lot of that problem lately. Well, what one dumb fuck did risked our lives, but we lived- at the cost of our humanity. To this day we still can't figure out just how it happened, but the military became short thirty people, and gained thirty mutants of varying degrees of mutation. Of course we were rushed to the nearest military hospital, kept in an array of security that makes that place in New Mexico look like a toy store on Christmas Eve.

Under the constant observation we were treated for radiation, chemical, and biological waste contamination. If only it had been that easy- I wouldn't be here explaining all this crap. We lived, but we were forever changed. Some went crazy, and were institutionalized. I don't blame them- like I said before we were all mutated, to varying degrees, and not all of them were pleasant. I remember one Tech Sergeant that grew a second and third head, before going hopelessly insane with the constant chatter. I still don't know where he is. Maybe he's dead, like a lot of the others. When you become useless to the military, you cease to exist to them. I, and about twenty others still had some use. We gained some strange powers- I wouldn't even call them powers. Maybe enhancements. Mine was weird. I gained astounding strength, could jump higher than humanly possible, and if I concentrated hard enough, blend into my surroundings. My best friend gained a telekinesis, but didn't get the strength like me. Not like she would need it, she could pick up an assailant and chuck him a hundred meters without batting an eye. Our appearance changed as well. We weren't 100 sure what was mixed in with those chemicals, hence why we wanted to study them. Apparently there was a smattering of DNA from varying species scattered throughout the chemical block we were given. Alexander, Harry, and Giuseppe (good friends from the lab on base) did some tests, and it turns out that the DNA from some sub-species of chameleon, desert lizard, and a West African tree-frog converged with my own Human DNA, thus modifying my appearance and abilities several degrees. I still resemble a human, as does Ana and others, but my abilities, save for mental capabilities, and some features, are more reptilian.

Needless to say, we became freaks of society, and the government couldn't keep us on the 'surface level', no matter how useful. So we became contracts for the government, went to training once every three months, and if the need arose, were contacted discretely by the NIS, National Intelligence Service. I was used for covert operations, mainly spying and intelligence gathering. It helped that I spoke several tongues, thanks to the Monterrey School of Language. Anastasia…. I don't like it, but she was used for weapons testing, until inexplicably, her psi-power disappeared. I know the truth, but that's not something they need to know about. She and I were the lucky ones that had use. Others were simply kicked out and forced to make it on their own, even though we all knew that a freak of society wouldn't survive for long, much less on the streets of a big city.

When I was retired a few years later, Anastasia met up with me in New York City, with plans to make things better for us all. I was surprised, 'cause usually I'm the wacko making the impossible plans, but this credit all goes to her. Using funds we had collected from the government, which was a pretty penny (100 disability, injury compensation, all the contracted missions added up to quite a sum), and liquid assets, we collaborated, bought a large apartment building for ourselves, and turned the downstairs into a club/hideaway/sanction for any mutants stranded in this big city. We also allowed old friends, or anyone who could tolerate our kind and wished to maintain a discrete friendship. It was by invitation only, and very well hidden below the city. Frankie, a newly retired Army Master Sergeant-turned-giant frog, was the bouncer. Don't even think that he literally turned frog, I said we were mutants but he _definitely _retained the majority of his humanity. He simply got even bigger, turned bald, and dark green with darker spots. Which wasn't much of a change from before, just the green bit, lol. Anastasia and I are similar in appearance now, except we retained our hair, hair color, and physique. We're desert lizard brown and tan, except I had a hint of red pigmentation to my skin, with the normal amount of fingers, toes and other appendages. Our face changed a bit though. My eyes were bigger and greener, and instead of an actual _nose_ I had more of a snout, maybe even call it a beak. I never really figured that out. Anastasia had it too, but she had ice blue eyes and golden brown hair, really long too.

As word spread around (Anastasia was like a mental beacon drawing the scattered mutants together), the mutants were able to find apartment complexes and live there out of prying eyes, and at night made their way to the Lizard Lounge, jokingly named after me'n Anastasia's species change. When gathered together we were able to see all the changes that the poor people underwent and the underlying species they had added to their DNA. Luanne, or Lua, poor thing, ended up peacock-ish. I can't quite describe her, I'd have to paint a picture, but I'll give it a shot. She was light blue with plumage replacing her hair, smooth skin, and what we called a built-in dress of feathers covering her bosom and running to mid-thigh. She also had a beautiful peacocks tail that she could fan out to a magnificent display. I have a painting of her doing just that somewhere.

There's just too many to describe and explain, but hopefully this gives you some insight about us, how we came to be, and how we'll continue to survive. We've all had combat training, and combining that with our newly developed skills we make a pretty formidable group to reckon with.

Enough military crap. I've had enough of them. What is with New York and raining? It always seems to rain whenever I decide to paint, ruining my plans with a drab gray sky and zero visibility. Yuck.

I'll move to now:


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, although I really wish I did. Maybe then I could have some fun.

I grimaced. Paints were all dried out, and the store was probably closed. _guess that's what happens when you're nocturnally inclined_ I thought to myself, sneaking a peek at the clock. I live in a loft now, high up and away from the hustle and bustle of the New York streets, a perfect view of the skyline and harbor. Excellent artistic subject matter, if one cares to look closely. Something jumped into my lap.

I have a cat, too. His name is Rookie. I call him that because he tries to be a little thief, but he hasn't quite excelled at that yet. I still am able to catch him raiding the pantry for packets of tuna.

"Rookie," I asked, lifting the gray tabby to eye level. "Why does it seem that every time I try to paint nowadays it rains?" I set him back in my lap, staring out the window/wall. "It's like mother nature is trying to tell me to look for new subject matter." Shrugging, I stood, dumping the miffed cat to the wood floor. "Hungry fella?" I asked picking my way to the kitchen.

I try to live modestly, despite my share of government accrued wealth. My loft was spacious enough with a large living area, fireplace, the western wall a solid window of double-paned glass. I liked it; it gave the illusion of being above the city, like I was perched on a cloud or something. High vaulted ceilings allowed for a split-level bedroom over the library room, with a curving open-step staircase leading to it. The bedroom has a full bath attached with a whirlpool bath, my favorite amenity. It also had a bay window with French doors leading to the rooftop. There was a half bath downstairs, and I had the office converted to a guest room, fully furnished. My loft was sparsely but comfortably furnished. The kitchen was a cooks dream, though I was a terrible chef. Anastasia, Frankie, Lily, and Lua made it a habit to point that out when they visited.

I looked at the kitchen clock, having settled Rookie down with a can of tuna and a saucer of milk. He had a water bowl, but I spoiled that cat rotten, and it showed.

"Eat up buddy, I gotta get to work soon!" I scolded, wagging a finger playfully at him. Leaving the cat, I went upstairs to my room to shower and change. I was still in my pajamas, an oversized t-shirt and a pair of mismatched shorts. _Mmm, what to wear…_ I stared at my collection of clothes, in hopes that something would scream for my attention. _ It's Carribean night, so I should pick something flashy…_ I settled on a ruffled dress. It was a simple style, spaghetti straps, asymmetrical hemline with rainbow ruffles, and a pattern of rainbow-colorful triangles. Laying that on my bed, I stripped and jumped into the shower for a quick scrub. Ten minutes later I applied a little makeup, blow-dried my hair. It was chin length, black, and impossible to style. I gave up on styling a long time ago, settling for a ponytail or clips. I slipped in the dress, zipped it up, laced up my high heels to mid-calf, grabbed my dark red trench, my purse with the essentials, and stepped out for work. It was almost seven thirty, the time that the club opened. I didn't work there literally; I just automatically manned the bar since nobody else really knew how. I was training Alicia on how to though so I could get a break from bartending and play hostess once in a while. Sun-won knew how also, but he was working on a college degree so he had little time to help me out. He did on the weekends and holidays, but those were few and far between.

By the time I'd hit the streets it had stopped raining. "Damn it!" I cursed. Apparently my trench and hat weren't necessary for rain protection, but they did provide enough coverage to hide my face, or most of it from plain view. To the average Joe wandering the streets on Friday night I looked like a plain old chick on her way somewhere.

I cut through a few alleys, taking the usual route to the hidden door, but did I expect to be mugged? Boy if I had, those guys would have been in serious trouble. Last thing I remember was being hit over the head and dragged to a dumpster.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, although I really wish I did. Maybe then I could have some fun.

_God, my head feels like it got hit by a truck, rolled down the Rockies, and got trampled by cleat-wearing hikers. Where the hell am I? Did Frankie or Hardy find me?_ I mused, eyes closed listening for any sign of familiarity. I could smell something really good, hear something that sounded like cartoons faintly, and several strange chemicals hit my nose all at once.

"Who the hell keeps methylchlorodioxide in the open?" I murmured aloud. "Must be a damned idiot to do that."

"Not really, but I'm glad to hear you are awake." A new voice said. It sounded male, and infinitely gentle, yet authoritative. I opened my eyes. Everything was blurry, and the lights made me squint.

"So you're the geekazoid that keeps the Moxy out in open storage." I grumbled, wrinkling my nose. "Could you put a stopper in it or something? It stinks!"

The voice chuckled. "Amazing, not only do you know the formula name, you know the street name. Wow." I heard a squeaking as a stopper was twisted into place and the room began to immediately clear. I blinked a few times, the muzziness going away a little. The lights still hurt though. "Where am I?" I wondered aloud. My head hurt like a mothafucker, and I didn't recognize any smells or noises. "Who are you?" I tried sitting up, but fell back as a wave of blackness washed over me. "Shit, that hurts…"

"My name's Donatello, but you can call me Donnie." The voice said, amused. "That's quite a nasty bump you're gonna have later. You're lucky you don't have a concussion. Those guys weren't messing around- I think they hit you with a pipe." His voice dropped in pitch. "The one that got away took it with him."

Now I was confused. Who the hell is Donatello, where the hell am I and _what_ the hell is he talking about? "I don't remember getting hit, I just remember waking up here… wherever here is." I said, concerned. "I was attacked? Aw shit, did they take my purse?"

"I'm afraid yes."

"Fuckin-a," I breathed, smacking a hand down on the bed I was on. At least I think it was a bed, it felt mattressy after all. "Well, there goes my contribution. Hardy's gonna be pissed about this."

"Who's Hardy?" Donnie asked. I could feel him examining a painful spot on my leg. I screeched when he poured hydrogen peroxide on the wound, sitting up abruptly, the sheet covering me slipping.

"Ah!" I cried, covering myself hastily. Blurriness gone, I was able to see my 'doctor' in the bright lights of the ward. "What the… I've never seen you before, are you new?" I queried, cocking my head. It was true- I'd never seen this guy before. We had a smattering of turtles, and I knew the majority of them by name or face, but this guy drew a blank.

He looked funny with that half-shocked half-'what the hell?' look on his face. "What are you talking about, 'new'?" He asked, the 'what-the-hell' look taking over. "We've always been here! I should be asking you that- and where did you come from?"

I gave him a fish-eye look. "Wait." I held up a hand, "You mean, you've been here in the good old NYC for your whole life?" he nodded. I pulled a face. "How the hell could I have never noticed you then! I know practically all the mutants in this town, how the hell could I miss you!" I picked at the blanket angrily. How could I have overlooked these guys? How could they have withstood Ana's psychic call?

Donnie looked confused, eyes curious behind that even curiouser purple mask he had on. "Wait…" He paused. "So you've been in NYC, and you say there's other mutants? Mutants like us?" he looked so hopeful, I felt a warm relief spread through me that I had good new for him.

"Well, yeah!" I said, smiling enthusiastically. "There're a lot of mutants. We keep to ourselves, heck, the majority of us still look human, with a few tweaks here and there. It's the poor 'lab-rats', as we call them, which have the hardest time. Poor guys had no place to go after TGRI disbanded. We pooled our money and purchased a couple of apartment complexes near each other and share tenancy. I live separately, though. I think Ana does too." I leaned back thinking. "We take in mutants without a home, or that have been injured and try to help them get back on their feet. So to speak" I joked, smiling wryly at Donnie, who still, after that whole rambling monologue _still_ looked shocked. "Dude, what's wrong?" I asked, eyebrow raised. (Yeah, I have eyebrows, so sue me.)

"It's... it's just… oh my god…" Donnie stammered. Were… no way, his eyes were tearing up! I scooted forward ignoring the headache and drew his chin up with my fingers, looking him in the eyes. _Oh man… don't tell me…_ "Donnie?" I asked gently, my empathetic senses kicking in. "Are you all alone?" He shook his head slightly, a lone tear spilling.

"No," he croaked softly. "I have three brothers, on patrol right now, and Master Splinter, our Sensei. We've lived here all our lives, thinking we were all alone…" I pulled him close as the tears started to flow, forgetting my nakedness and selfishness. _Oh my god… these poor guys… living all alone, thinking they were the only ones of their kind. Oh man, I'm sorry I opened my big fat stupid mouth…I feel terrible. Although I really can't wait to meet the rest of them…_ I sighed, stroking his head as he whimpered. A short while later he collected himself.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." He muttered, wiping his eyes with his forearm. I smiled. "Donnie, if I were in your shoes, I'd probably cry too. Maybe more since I'm a weepy emotional girl." I joshed, trying to coax a smile. I wasn't disappointed as Donnie's lips curved upwards.

"I'm sure you want to meet the others, huh?" He asked, focusing his attentions back to the, oh shit that looks ugly, scrape on my lower left leg.

"Fuck yeah, I want to!" I exclaimed, tugging lightly on his bandanna tails. He grinned as he applied a large gauze pad to the scrape and secured it with an ace bandage. I looked around, still wrapped in the sheet.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, although I really wish I did. Maybe then I could have some fun.

"Quite a lab you've got here Donnie." I said, awed at the amount of… _stuff_ that was packed so neatly into the _Looks like a railcar!_ room. I looked at various liquids, laughed at a few, gave disbelieving looks at others. "Donnie, why do you have Nitrous here?" I asked, shooting him a fish-eye look. He shrugged.

"I was able to get my hand on it." I rolled my eyes.

"Kay, but I sure hope you know its effects." He laughed as I continued to poke around.

"You seem to be handy with chemicals miss…?" He trailed off and I giggled.

"Sorry, forgot to introduce myself," I spun around and bowed. "Mikaela Dorianne-Spade, at your service!" I raised myself up out of the bow and grinned. "But just call me Mikaela, for simplicities sake."

Don gave a hearty laugh, stood up, and reached around the bed for something. "Here are your clothes. I had them washed and dried, but some of the blood wouldn't come out, sorry." I took them gently and he gave me a sideways look. "I don't mean to pry, but why exactly do you need clothing? Besides camouflage gear. I understand the trench, but why the dress and… um…" he pointed to the lacy underwear I was holding. I pinked slightly.

"Um… I was human before my transformation, and um, retained some very human parts." I pinked further. "Hence why I'm all wrapped up in this sheet here."

"OH." Donnie looked embarrassed now. Something banged outside the railcar.

"What was that?"

"Probably my brothers." He seemed exasperated.

"Really? Can I meet them?" I asked, excited to meet new mutants. Okay, not-so-new mutants. Donnie raised his hands in front of his chest. "If you want to, just get dressed first." He said it in an 'it's-your-funeral-if-you-don't' kind of voice. I got worried. If his brothers were as leery as he was making them out to be, maybe a short'n'skimpy dress wasn't a good idea.

I looked down at the dress I had. "In this?" I crinkled my… nose. "Do you have anything else I could possibly fit into?"

Donnie tapped his finger to his chin. "I think Mikey has shorts and a t-shirt somewhere. I'll go look," Sternly, "You stay here, okay?"

"Roger roger!"

Donnie stepped out. I tiptoed to the door and listened through. I cupped my hands trying to see out when the door slid open without warning. I was face to face with a large rat. I blinked a few times, then smiled warmly.

"Hi, I'm Mikaela. Your brother Donnie was patching me up earlier, but he went to look for clothing for me." I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry for dropping in on you like this."

The rat smiled back and gestured for me to sit on the bed. "Sit child, please." He chuckled softly, amused at something. "Donatello has taken good care of you, however, he is my son, not my brother." He sat down on the edge of the bed I was cross-legged on. "Please, Miss Mikaela, tell me, how did you come upon my son?" His paw came up to pat my hair.

"Well sir," I began, "I'm not entirely sure. Donatello told me that I'd been mugged, but I don't remember all of it." I winced and rubbed the spot he'd just patted. "He said I'd been hit in the head, but all I remember is waking up with a nasty bruise and a few scrapes."

"That's terrible," Rat said, bowing his head. "I am happy that my son was able to help you." He looked up smiling. "My name is Splinter. You may call me sensei, like my sons, if you wish."

I smiled a little. "Very well, Sensei."

Donnie opened the door, laden with a brightly colored pair of board shorts and a black wife-beater. "Will this work?"

I took the proffered clothing, mindful of the sheet. "I suppose so, I just hope the shorts fit." I said, giving said shorts a dubious glance. I looked at Donnie. "Well, shoo! I want to get dressed and meet your brothers!"

Splinter stood and shuffled out the door, while Donnie laughed and closed it behind them. I dropped the sheet, pulled on my lacy tanga, snapped my lacy bra in place (so I have a thing for lace!), pulled on the shorts, drew them tight, and finally slipped the wife beater over my head. It was a little big, but not by much- it was stretchy.

Steeling myself for the unknown, I slid open the door and stepped into a cozy looking home, amply lit. It had a beat up looking sofa seated in front of an old television, a lazy-boy armchair, and a pretty lamp. I looked around, awed at the incredible coziness. I poked around, peeking my head around corners into rooms, was marveled by a makeshift gym, eyed the weapons warily, then left. I walked through the living room following the sound of voices to what appeared to be a kitchen. There were three turtles and Splinter seated at the table, two of them arguing over something, and the fourth one hunched over the stove cooking something that smelled heavenly. I was able to pick Donnie out of the bunch, his purple bandanna catching my eye.

"Hey Donnie, aren't ya gonna introduce me to your family?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning against the doorjamb, a big grin plastered on my face. I loved discovering more people like myself!

Donnie stood up and quickly made his way to my side. The other three turtles had frozen, although why I wasn't too sure.

"Guys, this is Mikaela…um… Spade. She's a mutant like us, and she says that she knows more mutants that are out in the city!"

The silence that ensued was unnerving.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, although I really wish I did. Maybe then I could have some fun.

"Okay, hi, hello, nice to meet you- like Donnie here said, I'm Mikaela. I take it from your obviously shocked silence that you probably don't believe what I told Donnie about there being other mutants around the city. You're probably wondering why you've never run across them before, too."

I pushed my hair out of my face. "Some of us look more human than mutant because of an accident that happened a few years ago, and some of us are simply mutated animals that had nowhere to go when TGRI disbanded. Myself and the others from the accident took those in, which is probably why you never saw them." I glanced at Donnie, "I'm assuming you heard of the downfall of TGRI and went to investigate, am I right?" He nodded, and I continued.

"I was once a member of the United States Military, working in the Nuclear Biological and Chemical sector, researching new types of weaponry, chemical developments, and defense from such weaponry. My colleagues and I were invited to TGRI to examine a new substance, modified from the discarded original, with unique properties. Upon completion of the tour, we had several samples in transfer to a facility for further study on its potential uses. However, one of the pranksters among us decided to pull a dangerous joke, and ended up killing some and causing many of us to go insane, or mutate. I was one of the fortunate ones to retain some of my humanity. However, not all of us did."

I sighed. "To cut it short, we were abandoned when we became useless to the government, and forced to find a new way of life. However we weren't penniless. We pooled our savings and assets into creating a safe haven for any other mutants lost and alone in the city. Not long after the accident, TGRI was disbanded- likely from pressure from the NIS. For the past three years we have learned to live and cope on our own in a society that does not accept rejects."

I smiled, noting that the red-bandannaed one scowled. "However, that proved to be somewhat untrue as many of us were able to find work with friendly humans, and a lot of them frequent the safe haven we have." I shrugged and let my story sink in.

Master Splinter spoke up. "That is truly a sad tale, ms. Mikaela. I am sorry to hear that you have suffered the same trials as us."

I sighed. "I really have no idea how on earth I managed to miss seeing you all this whole time I've lived here!"

The one in orange spoke up. "Ditto babe."

I gave him 'the look'. "Don't call me babe, I hate that." I raised an eyebrow. "What's your name anyway?"

"The orange one stood up "I'm Michaelangelo, but you can call me Mikey, babe" He gave me the 'thumbs up'.

"I'm Leonardo." Blue said, rising. He gave a curt bow before seating himself again.

"Raphael." Red said brusquely, not bothering to rise. He glared at me from beneath his mask.

"And I already know Master Splinter, and Donnie here." I said looking at each in turn.

"Well, sit down!" Donnie grinned, ushering me to an empty seat at the table. I sat, across from Leonardo and in between Donatello and Master Splinter. I glanced at Mikey who winked and turned back to the stove. My stomach voiced an awfully loud protest.

"What time is it?" I asked. My watch had been in my purse, and since that was long gone, I had no idea how long I'd been out.

"It's about… eleven thirty in the morning." Donnie said. "You were out for most of the night, and some of the morning."

I gaped. "Holy crap, I was out for _that_ long?" I rubbed my goose egg. "Sheesh I musta been hit pretty hard!"

Donnie nodded, sipping at a cup of coffee.

Again, a heavy silence fell over the table, broken by Mikey, as he set a plate of BLT sandwiches down, passed out cups, set a pitcher of apple juice down, and seated himself.

They all looked at me.

"What?" I asked nervously. Mikey smiled.

"Dig in babe!"

Timidly I selected a sandwich and waited until everyone else had one before I took a dainty bite. Damn, but it was good. "You a chef Mikey?" I asked between bites.

"Yup," He said, spraying crumbs across Donnie, who glared at him. "I'm the only one here who can cook worth a darn!"

I giggled. "For sure. I burn water." Leonardo rolled his eyes and continued eating. Raphael glared at me again. _Sheesh, what did I ever do to this guy? Already he's pissed off at me and I haven't even done anything yet!_

Donnie must've sensed my anxiety. "Raph doesn't really trust strangers. You get used to it after a while." Raph flicked a piece of tomato at Donnie, scowling. "Quit it!"

"Yeah, he's a real hothead, and sometimes a real jerk." Mikey chimed in.

"Shut up, Mikey!" Raphael bellowed, then stormed away from the table. I blinked, chewing slowly. Apparently this family was like any normal one- they had _issues_.

"So he's always like this?" I asked, polishing off the BLT.

"Yes, he's always like this." Leonardo said bitterly. "Master Splinter, I'm finished. May I be excused?"

"Of course, my son. Please use the afternoon time wisely."

"Yes, Master Splinter." Leonardo rose and left the kitchen. Splinter soon followed with a parting, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mikaela."

"Likewise, Master Splinter." I smiled as he left.

"NOT IT!" Mikey shrilled, jumping up and racing away. Dons slapped his forehead and groaned.

"Crap, it's my turn to do dishes."

I smiled. "I'll help, then it'll go by faster." I smirked. "Besides, I want to see more of the lab!"

Don laughed and we got to work on the dishes.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, although I really wish I did. Maybe then I could have some fun.

Later we went back to his lab. Of course Mikey made kissy noises as we walked past him, discussing compounds and chemical theory.

"Aw, how sweet," He cooed, "Nerds in love!" He made googley eyes until I whapped him on his dome. "OW!"

"Cut it out Mikey, I'm a scientist like your bro." I said, snickering. "Besides I don't go for nerds anyway!"

"Yeah, whatever!"

We made it to Don's lab without further incident, and he showed me a few of his own unique chemical combinations for improved fuel efficiency. I was notably impressed with his genius.

"Donnie, you should be in a university." I said, shaking my head in disbelief. "Actually, lemme re-state that. Donnie, you should be _teaching_ in a university."

He looked embarrassed. "Nah, they wouldn't accept me."

"Either way, you oughta give on-line tutoring. Hell, you could teach some of the kids a thing or two they wouldn't learn at school!"

Raph poked his head in.

"Donnie, we got practice in the dojo."

Donatello sighed. "Well, sorry I can't give you more of a tour right now, I have to go practice in the dojo."

"Can I watch?" I asked, instantly curious, "What kind of practice? Sports?"

"Well, come and see." Donnie said, leading me to the makeshift gym. I saw that all the turtles were there, Master Splinter as well.

I walked over to the aging rat. "Master Splinter, what kind of practice are your sons talking about?"

"Just watch." Master Splinter said, not unkindly. "Hajime!" he shouted.

I was soon transfixed as I watched their practice. _Of course! Martial arts, duh Mika._ The beautifully fluid combination of kicks, punches and weapons mastery drew my gaze like a moth to the flame. I'd seen lots of combat, been to many a combat training class, but this was something totally different,_ completely_ out of my league. The way they handled themselves totally blew me away, same with the skills they had with their weapon. I knew what Donnie, Mike, and Leonardo's weapons were, but Raphael's stumped me. I made a mental note to ask about them later, still transfixed.

When Master Splinter authorized them to leave, I handed them towels and bottled water that had been set aside for post-practice.

"Wow, guys, holy…. That was amazing!" The words tumbled out of my mouth faster than I could keep track of. Mikey smiled and patted me on the back.

"It's ok, dudette, you can chill!" He closed my gaping mouth. "That was just weapons practice! Wait till you see sparring!" I shook my head, grinning.

"Gee Mikey, I don't know if I could handle that!" I kidded. He laughed, towel whipped Donnie as he walked by, then ran to his room. Raphael and Leonardo were performing weapons maintenance, Leonardo polishing his blades, and Raphael sharpening his… whatevers. I decided now was as good as any time to ask.

"Raphael?" I asked softly, edging closer to him. "What are those?" I pointed to his weapons.

"They're sais." He grunted. _So much for having a conversation_

I tried a different tactic.

"Where were they originally developed? I've never seen anything like them!" I said, reaching out to touch the tip of one. "Ow!" I yipped, seeing a dot of blood welling up from where the skin was broken.

"You might wanna be more careful, these things're sharp." He said disdainfully, eyeing my hand. "Is it bleeding much?"

"Nope." I said, popping my finger in my mouth to suck the blood off. "I heal quick anyway. My goose egg's almost gone." I said, gingerly rubbing the back of my head.

Raphael snorted. "What the hell happened, like I really wanna know…"

I rolled my eyes at his brush-off. "According to Donnie, I was mugged. I don't remember any of it, so I'm taking his word on it."

"Be glad it wasn't the Foot, or you'd be on a dissection table by now."

I blinked. "That gang that was busted up a while back? They're still around?" He nodded curtly. "Shit, I'd better warn the others n' have them keep a lookout."

Raphael laughed shortly. "Doll, what could you possibly do to the Foot?"

I bristled. "I may not be a great martial artist, but I know a few things and I'm good in a knife fight!" That wasn't any good, he just laughed harder. "What!" I pressed, irritated at him for laughing at me. How dare he!

"Doll, the thought of a weak little thing like you doing martial arts is the best joke I've heard all day." He insulted, standing. He turned around to hang his sais up on their pegs. While his back was turned I crouched low. When he turned back I tackled him. He went down hard and I straddled his waist, pinning his arms above his head one handed.

"That wasn't funny." I said, hurt.

"Doll, don't mess with me…" he warned, eyes narrowing to slits. Without warning he rolled, pinning me beneath him. I gathered my legs up under me and pushed hard, sending him airborne a good distance. Jesus, he weighed a ton! I rolled to my feet and crouched low again, preparing for an attack.

I wasn't disappointed.

However, Leonardo was.

"Raph, what the hell are you doing!" he shouted, as Raphael and I were locked in combat ground fighting. Eventually, despite my increased strength, he overpowered me and pinned me, twisting my arm behind my back.

"Uncle!" I rasped, eyes bulging in pain as my arm was bent far more than it was physically supposed to. Raphael laughed as he released me.

"Like I said doll," He drawled mockingly, "What could you do against the Foot, if you can't even beat me?" I glared and kicked backwards. Hard. Then I decided it was a good time to run, since my foot connected to the junction of his legs.

I raced into Mikey's room. "Mikey, you gotta hide me!" I pleaded. Mikey looked confused.

"Why babe, what happened?" He got up off his bed.

I flushed. "Well, I kind of kicked Raphael in the jewels, and I think he's REALLY pissed off at me." As if to confirm my speech, we heard a loud crashing and mixed shouts coming from outside Mikey's railcar.

"RAPHAEL, FOR THE LAST TIME SHE'S NOT IN MY LAB!" We heard Donnie yell, followed by more crashes.

"Shit." I said. Steeling myself, I strode towards Mikey's door.

"What're you doing babe, you really don't want to go outside right now" Mikey said nervously, "Not when he's like this."

"I have to own up sometime, why not now?" I said, sounding way too bright, considering my knees were knocking and I was sweating bullets. I opened the door and stepped out to face whatever fate had in store for me.

"Raphael, I am deeply sorry I hit you." I said, bowing my head. "Please accept my apology."

I looked around. Raphael was nowhere to be found.

"He's probably gone topside." I turned. The owner of the voice was leaning on the doorjamb of the dojo, looking at me with something akin to disappointment.

"Oh, Leonardo, it's you." I said, relieved.

"You know, you put yourself in a pretty dangerous situation, fighting Raphael like that, and then kicking him in the groin." Leonardo shook his head and brushed past me. "You're really lucky he didn't catch you, or you might be back in the infirmary, or even worse."

I followed.

"At least I tried to apologize!" Leonardo shook his head.

"Doesn't matter. When he's in a rage, he wouldn't even hear you." He looked at me meaningfully. "Believe me, I've been there."

"Is this your room? It's lovely." I said, changing the subject. "You must like Japan a lot, Leonardo."

"Yes. I like to study Japanese, and their culture." He sat crosslegged in the center of his room. "If you'll excuse me, I am going to meditate." With that, his eyes slid shut.

I took it as my hint to leave.

With nowhere else to go I went back to Donnie's lab.

"Donnie?" I asked. He was sitting in front of a computer.

"Uh huh?" He replied, not looking back.

"I have to get going, the other's are probably really worried." I said. "After all, I missed work."

Donnie wheeled around. "I'll ask Sensei if one of us can accompany you." He glanced at his watch. "It's already dark, and there's still Foot about."

"I'll be fi-"

"No, we'd feel much better if one of us escorted you home." He said pointedly.

I sighed, resigned. "Okay."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, although I really wish I did. Maybe then I could have some fun.

Not only had Master Splinter agreed with his son, he assigned Donnie AND Leonardo as my escorts.

"Guys, since it's late, I'd rather head to the club. I have lots of friends there, and since I live alone, I'd feel relatively safer there." Reluctantly those two had agreed and now we were roof hopping in the general direction of the club. Leonardo had tried to convince me to ride on his shell, but shut up after I showed my jumping skills off. I laughed it off, along with Donnie.

We got there in record time.

"Well… thanks for saving me Donnie," I said awkwardly. "Even more so for fixing me up."

"It was nothing." Donnie said, just as awkwardly. Leo stood by impassively.

"I want to repay you all somehow." I said. "Do you think it'd be all right for you two to come into the club? I could have you all put on the list as my guests, because this club is invite only, and I do the background checks." I rushed. "I think you guys are ok, so it shouldn't be a problem to have y'all set up as members."

The two turtles looked at each other, expressions unreadable.

"We're not so sure that's a good idea." Leonardo said carefully.

"It'd be a good opportunity to meet some mutants and make some friends?" I pressed further. "Please? It's really the only way I can thank you all."

Donnie raised an eyebrow to Leonardo, who sighed.

"Okay, but we can't stay for very long." He relented. I beamed.

"Wonderful!"

I turned to the break in the panel and pushed. The panel swung inward, revealing a staircase that curved downward to a flickering light. I started down the stairs, two mutant turtles in tow.

Upon reaching the bottom I walked down a short corridor to a steel door. It had a peephole and a doorbell. I buzzed the doorbell.

"FRANKIE, IT'S ME!" I yelled through the door, sticking my face up close to the peephole. Without warning the door was flung open and I found myself wrapped in two thick green arms.

"Mikaela, Where da fuck you been?" Frankie practically sobbed into my shoulder. Then he noticed the armed turtles. "Who da fuck are de'se guys?" he growled menacingly, releasing me.

"Frankie, these two are my rescuers, and this one," I pointed to Donatello, "Patched me up. Apparently I was mugged and they saved me and took care of my injuries. I owe them my life, maybe even more." I said, stepping in front of the boys. "They're ok guys Frankie, they've got two other brothers, and they're just as nice."

Frankie looked skeptical but stepped aside for us. "What's yu're names, bruddas?" The beefy frog-man asked as we walked by.

"I'm Donatello, and this is Leonardo." Donnie said smiling, trying to appear non-threatening. Even though they were both armed, he had a strong feeling that Frankie could put a serious beating on them if he felt he needed to.

"Da names Frankie Gordon. I'm da bounca' fer dis joint." Frankie stuck out a meaty hand. Donnie noticed slight webbing between the fingers as he grasped it firmly. "If yous is who Mika sez yous is, yous got mah t'anks. Mika be like mah l'il sistah." His grip grew tighter as he spoke, going from firm pressure to near pain. "It upsets me when she gets hu't. Yous bettah not h'ut her, copish?" He said emphatically. Donnie nodded.

"Of course not Mr. Gordon, we'd never hurt her!"

"Call me Frankie."

"Frankie." Donnie corrected. Leo tensed up as Frankie nodded, releasing his bro's hand and sticking it out to him. He shook quickly.

"See dat ya don't, okays?"

"Yes sir- uh, Frankie."

I missed that whole exchange, 'cause I was headed to my usual post- the bar. I was the unofficial bartender, but I'm pretty sure you knew that by now.

**MIKAELA! **

Oh boy. I had turned about thirty degrees before I was tackled by a hundred'n'thirty odd pounds of infuriated lizard/woman.

"Hi Ana." I squeaked out, throat constricted in the death grip Anastasia had on my neck.

**Mikaela Spade! **Ana roared (actually, Ana was subjected to some ungodly surgeries that destroyed her vocal cords. However, she could use her psi-powers to 'thought-speak' to people, privately or broadcasted. Pretty neat huh?) **WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN? **She yelled, giving me one helluva migraine. I rubbed my temples.

"I'd tell you, if you'd GET OFFA ME!" I snapped, wincing as she launched a mental wave of anger at me. "Ana, can you quit that, I've had a really REALLY bad night already. I don't need it getting worse, okay?" I murmured, sitting up, putting a hand over my eyes.

**Mikaela, you know we were worried! **Ana broadcasted. Great, now the whole BAR knew I was back. Boy was I in for it. **It's not like you to miss Fiesta night! What happened! **Ana asked, lower lip trembling.

As if she was a five year old too! "Ana, cut the baby stuff, please? You know if _you_ cry, then I'm gonna cry, and then you know what happens when Frankie sees us crying!" I smiled, "We don't need a grown man, a Froggy one at that, throwing a temper tantrum!"

**Aw, hush. Anyway, we were really worried. Lua was about to send her kids to your apartment to see if you'd forgotten or something. **Ana grimaced **Which we all knew wasn't likely, but we didn't want to jump to conclusions. **Her blue eyes narrowed. **Wait, why are you wearing board shorts and a beater? It's Fiesta night, not Caribbean! **

"Um, Mikaela?" A nervous voice piped up behind me. I saw Ana's narrow eyes become mere slits, as she perused someone over my shoulder. I stood.

"Oh hey Leo, finding everything okay?" I asked, stepping over to him. "Hey Ana? Meet Leonardo." I grinned. "One of my saviors. His brother's name is Donnie… Speaking of which, where is Donnie?" Leonardo shrugged.

"He saw a sign for a library and I'm guessing he went to check it out."

Hoo boy, it's not a library of books… DVD's and Video's, and the occasional chess table. That and a huge wall-sized T.V. I… 'tactically acquired' from the Lab. We had it wired with 7.1 surround, a ground shaking bass, and the latest DVD and Video technology. Hardy hooked it all up for us. I'm an idiot when it comes to wiring for anything BUT a computer system.

**Nice to meet you, Leonardo. ** Ana politely… spoke, extending a slim hand. **I am grateful for your help in returning Mika to us. ** Jeeze, make me sound like a damn runaway why don't'cha!

"It was no trouble Miss Ana." Leo smiled and shook her hand gently.

Ana grinned. **So are you and your brother staying for the fiesta?**

Leo shrugged. "We can't stay for too long, but we'll see a little of it." He turned to me, but I was already halfway out the door.

"Mikaela?" He sounded strangled. I laughed internally, but felt a little bad for keeping on my current course to the Library and leaving him by himself with Anastasia. I laid bets with myself that she'd have him dancing before he left.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, although I really wish I did. Maybe then I could have some fun.

"Donnie?" I whispered. The Movie/Library room was dark and a couple of mutants were watching Jurassic Park. The floor trembled every time a Dino stomped, which was cool, but kind of annoying when you're trying to find someone in the darkness. One, you can't hear, and Two, your walk gets messed up. "Donnie, you in here? Leo said you might be…" I trailed off as I spied a familiar looking shadow sitting on a couch. I tapped said shadow.

"IYAH!" It shrieked, whirling, Bo in hand. I grabbed the Bo and clamped a hand over his mouth, laughing softly.

"Oi, damn Donnie!" I chuckled, pulling the hand away and letting go. "Never thought you'd be the scary movie type! You seem more like a documentary person."

"Mikaela," Donnie gasped, hand clutched to his chest. "Good god, don't DO that!" He shook himself, probably to get rid of the chills. "What do you need?"

"I was just trying to find you." I said, leading him out of the room. We immediately were hit by a blast of Salsa. "I wanted to introduce you to my best friend, Ana." I waved indifferently, "And a couple others, but I want you to meet her first."

I led Donatello back to the archway to the bar/dancehall/restaurant. Sure enough, Ana had Leo out on the wooden floor, showing him the proper way to lead through that particular Salsa. Donnie and I giggled, made out way to a table and watched the two dance.

"Ana's a great dancer." I said, deeply envious of her amazing talent. Donnie seemed to notice.

"You don't dance?" I shook my head.

"Can't." I said shortly. "Tried, but never was really able to grasp classic dancing." I laughed. "Hip Hop is a completely different story, though."

Donnie smiled. Not much else was said before the song ended.

"WOO!" I cheered, making Leo flush darkly- aw, he was so cute when he was embarrassed!

"Good job, bro!" Donnie congratulated, clapping him on the back.

**Ow, my feet. **Ana muttered, then grinned sheepishly. **Should'a expected that from a total novice. You did good Leonardo. **She sat down next to me at the table, beaming.

"Hey, I'll go make us a few drinks!" I jumped up, going over to the bar. _Lessee, Ana always has a coconut margarita, I don't know what the boys like… I'll make them daiquiri's, and for ME_ I exulted _I'm gonna have my mango twister special… hehehe, nummy!_ Taking out the proper ingredients, I worked my magic.

When I got back to the table, Leo and Donnie looked to be deep in discussion with Ana. Too bad I couldn't hear any of it. I was pretty sure what she was saying though, as I set the drinks in front of their respective customers.

**Thanks Mikaela! **Ana sipped daintily at hers while I slurped half of mine down. All or nothing people, work with me! Leo and Don stared at theirs.

"Mikaela, what is this?" Leonardo inquired, looking up from the bright pink mixture, confused.

"It's a daiquiri, honey." I said, between slurps. "I made it light for y'all, okay? Don't worry, there's hardly any bite."

Both turtles looked flabbergasted. "You mean there's _alcohol_ in this drink!" Donnie squeaked, astonished.

I smiled, a little frown dancing across my forehead. "Of course, Don- what did you think there was going to be in it?" I laughed. "Wait, lemme guess, you don't drink do you?" I smiled as they nodded defensively. "Kudos to you, you've got guts! I don't know many people who've never drank before, especially not here."

"MIKAELA!"

I groaned. "Shit, I forgot about Lua." I smacked my forehead. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"MIKAELA, WHERE ARE YOU!"

I looked around frantically, "Ana, hide me!"

Too late.

"MIKAELA SPADE! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" A blue, feathery creature stalked towards us. The boys looked nervous, and I did NOT blame them. "Do you know how WORRIED you made us! What's WRONG with you!"

"Hi Lua." I said meekly, staring at the floor. Lua tapped her clawed foot against the wooden floor, obviously expecting more.

"Got any explaining to do?" She hissed, hands on hips. I could practically see her feathers ruffling. Mind you, I'm still staring at the floor!

"...yeah." I inhaled deeply.

"IwaswalkingtotheclubandgotjumpedandtheseguyssavedmeandtookcareofmeanddroppedmeoffbackhereandIinvitedtheminsideinthanks." All in one breath, woo!

Lua sighed. "Honey… why didn't you just CALL and let us know where you were? You had us scared witless!" She squatted and tilted my chin up. "Sweetie, please don't do this again. You're like my own daughter- don't scare your mama okay?" I smiled weakly. Yeah, she had practically adopted me, which made me feel all the worse about the situation. Lua turned to the Turtles.

"Gents, I would like to thank you for taking care of mah baby girl." She gave them both big hugs. "If you ever need anything, and I mean _anything_, just ask. You've earned it a thousand times over." Looking at us girls she smiled, "Don't wear them out too much okay?"

**LUA! **Ana thought-spoke, shocked and embarrassed. During that, I was trying to make myself invisible- Great. The all-powerful mother's ability to embarrass. You know how it goes. Besides, I don't even LIKE them like that! I just MET them for Chrissakes!

"What?" Lua shrugged innocently, strolling off, tail swishing against the ground.

"Well…" I said, trying to break the _really_ awkward silence that fell. "That was Lua, our surrogate mother figure." I gave a small grin at the boys. Leo stood.

"Well Mikaela, Anastasia, it was wonderful to come here and… dance…" Here Donnie snickered. "…As I was saying, it was a pleasure, but we must be going back. Our Sensei is probably wondering what is taking us so long, and I'm afraid he might send Raph or Mikey to look for us." The rest of us rose, myself and Ana escorting them to the exit.

"You can find your way back?" I asked, steering them through the crowd. I think they still weren't over the whole 'other mutants' thing.

"We're sure." Donnie said.

We came up on Frankie, who opened the door for us.

"See yous next time, Toitle-bois!" Frankie said, roughly hugging each.

**Don't choke 'em Frankie! Squeezing them to death won't bring them back! **Ana giggled, girlishly covering her mouth. I rolled my eyes.

"Jeeze, lay off the _charm_ already!" I pried Frankie off the boys and ushered them out the door. "See y'all, tell Mikey and Raph I say hi, ok? Oh! Hang on!" I dashed away to grab something. "Here ya go. It's passes, and this is a token of our appreciation for Master Splinter, ok?"

"Thank you," The breathed, maybe in awe? Have these guys never been treated with kindness from others? Guess not, but that's gonna change!

**Bye Leo, bye Donnie! ** Ana cooed, hugging each. Again, I rolled my eyes.

"Ana…." I sighed, then we shook hands. "Hey, like I said, you are welcome here ANY time you like, those passes will see to it," I said, pointing. "That, and Frankie knows ya, so there shouldn't be problems." I thought a little more. "If there are, just give me a call at this number," I said, fishing around the reception desk for paper and pen. Quickly scratching it out, I gave them the number and wished them well.

They departed.

**Where'd you find them, Mika? ** Ana asked, curious. I didn't blame her.

"Actually, Ana- they found me." I said, turning back to the bar area. "Donnie is the one that saved me, and Leo helped me recover, as well did their other brothers."

**There's _more_ of them! Cool! **Ana exulted, twirling. **More friends to add to our collection! **She stopped twirling. **Isn't it strange that there's more of us showing up lately? **

My brow furrowed. "Yeah. Strange, but we've brought in at least six in the past month. That's a bit steep to be normal." I leaned back against the bar, chewing a straw in thought. "I wonder if our good friends in the D.C area are up to something again…" I gave a dark glance to Ana. "Think we should take a look?"

**That doesn't sound like a bad idea.**

I pushed off the bar. "I'm gonna go do some research. Be ready in three?"

**No prob. I've never passed up a chance to see what they're up to.** Ana grinned evilly **Why would I start now?**

But that's a totally different story!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, although I really wish I did. Maybe then I could have some fun.

To all: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, they've motivated me to continue this story! And for the record: this whole story so far hasn't been beta'ed, so please forgive any mistakes. I'm an editor, but I'm not perfect either. Are their any volunteers to beta please? I've got some cool ideas for where this oughta go! Whee! Oh, and I'm sorry that I wasn't able to reply personally, my email account wiped out my read messages. Is there something that allows me to store reviews? I am rather new here.

"Ready?" I murmured. Whispering made too much noise, and we needed stealth to get where we were going. Anastasia left closing up to Lua, while we got ready for our little venture. Using her telepathy, Ana flew cover, sending directional information to me via mental link, as I raced along the streets on my red-hot matte black Ducati 748. Oh, how I loved that bike of mine…

The place we were heading was known as Installation 12, or 'The Lab' to us scientists. I hated that place now- too many bad memories.

Installation 12 was buried deep in the Appalachians, an underground maze of technological treasures, and dark military secrets- some too awful to be made known to John Q. Public. I repressed a shudder. To think, I'd once been a part of that horror! Once I'd been coated in the secretness of the compound we'd used on animals, I'd understood the caphonic nightmare it planted and the seeds on terror it reaped, not to mention the excruciating pain of our metamorphoses.

I shuddered. That was a nightmare to which I would never awaken. I know Ana could read my thoughts; I was broadcasting them fairly loudly. I gunned the engine, racing further into the mountains, seeking out the compound I was spawned in. Mikaela the Human died, and Mikaela the Mutant was born in the confines of Installation 12.

About thirteen miles out I killed the engine and hid my bike in a ditch covered in brush. Ana floated down beside me.

_There's always security. Are there any vent shafts or drop-holes nearby?_ I thought-directed to Ana.

There's a drop-hole about six klicks North East of us, and a vent shaft another three klicks past. Ana said. She closed her eyes, concentrating. There's a roving K-9 unit, and three squad patrols. There's a stationary guard at the main entrance, and two guards at the Helicopter platform. I'm also picking up an aura of stress. Ana opened her eyes, gazing meaningfully up into the night sky. They're worried about something. The sentries have no knowledge, but I'm sure once we get into the compound we can find out more. 

She jumped out of the ditch, flitting through the treeline. **Let's go! **She called back.

_K-9 units. Great._ I thought, leaping into the trees and tearing after Ana.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, although I really wish I did. Maybe then I could have some fun.

A/N: Chapter 9-10 and maybe eleven (when it's finished) are setups for more turtle involvement. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten them! Again, thank you for the reviews! I was truly astonished **bows**.

It didn't take long for us to make it to the drop-shaft, even though we had to change course about six times. Stupid K-9 unit picked up our scent, so we had to lead them on a merry chase through the trees, them trailing on the ground below. We lost them, of course, and were able to get to the shaft trouble free. It took some doing, but we re-directed the beam system monitoring the grate, removed said grate, and dropped down into the blackness.

_Okay Ana, which way to Giuseppe?_ I asked, crouching low in the storage chamber we'd dropped into. Ana placed her fingers on her temples, searching out Giuseppe's mental signal.

**We need to get to block Charlie-five, sub section 22, laboratory three, room one-twenty-two. **She said, sounding strained. I gasped audibly.

_That freaking far!_ I yelped. _Shit, girl, this mission is getting a little too big for us to swallow. How do we get to that what's' it section anyway?_ I asked, annoyed and a little scared. It'd been three years since my last covert operation, and I was more than likely rusty at sneakiness. _They're probably monitoring the ventilation system, even though it's night, and most have gone to their bunks in the Quarters, There's GOT to be an armed patrol on every deck and every level!_

**We'll just be really, _really_ quiet! **Ana said, way too enthusiastically for my liking. I frowned.

_Fine, but if we get caught, I'm saying 'I told you so' ahead of time!_

Amazingly enough, we weren't caught- even though security had been noticeably beefed up since I'd last infiltrated this base. Ha, their own 'experiment' infiltrating their base, how ironic. Anyway, we made it through security; used false passes James and Giuseppe made for us, to unlock doors and gain access to secure areas.

I looked up. _Gotcha… room one-twenty-two. Looks like G-man is still in- maybe he can help us out._

**Hmm. **Ana gazed hard at the door, and I heard the distinct click of a lock being slipped out of its catch. **We're in. ** She said, nodding for me to enter first.

I nudged the door open, practically slithered into the room, and climbed the wall to sneak along over the head of our _dear_ friend, Giuseppe. He never noticed as I positioned myself in front of him, high up on the wall; nor Ana, who floated in to stand directly behind him.

"Hey G-man," I whispered cheekily. Giuseppe looked up, eyes widening behind his thick frame glasses.

"Mikaela Spade, what in the hell are you doing here!" he hissed, glaring at me. I stuck my tongue out at him. "There's security everywhere, and I _know_ you know what they'd do to you if they found you here!" He leaned back in his expensive cushy chair.

"So what, we've already beaten their system, what, five times?" I asked, looking at Ana for confirmation. "They've got no chance in hell of knowing we're here!"

**No kidding. You'd think with the amount of technology the U.S has, they'd be able to have better security details. **Ana snickered. **I mean, come on, even the K-9 team didn't catch us. Maybe they need robots or something…**

Giuseppe seethed. "Fine then, I suppose you don't care what would happen to me, should they catch you here! They KNOW I'm your friend, and that I'd help you if I could! They know everything about our past history together!"

I yawned.

"Duh, G-man." I said, dropping to the ground in front of his desk with a soft thwap "That's why they have the title CIA." I paused in thought. "Maybe that should be re-named the CLOIA, the Complete Lack Of Intelligence Agency. They don't know about us, or our discoveries." My gaze hardened. "As far as they're concerned, we're dead, killed in an industrial chemical spill. That's perfectly fine by me, because it keeps me out of a lab, like this one here!" I waved my arm around at the cages and racks of test tubes, beakers, and vials of viscous liquids. Cages ranging from two by two, to bear-sized held a smattering of mammals and reptiles. There was even a fish tank with what looked like piranha swimming frantically around inside!

"What're your little buddies in DC up to now, G-man?" I snarled, towering over the seated man. Giuseppe tried to get out of his chair, but found himself bound thereto by a powerful, yet invisible set of arms. I grinned menacingly. "G-man, I thought you'd gotten out of that line of work when our accident happened. Guess I was wrong." I sat on his desk, glaring at him. "So what's the scam this time, G-man? Taking our unfortunate event and turning into some sort of weapon for our beloved military? Y'all trying to create super-beings to replace the infantry? Wow, I didn't think you could sink that low." I said, disgusted with my old 'friend'.

"They're wanting a formula to regenerate damaged tissues with the mutanogen you were exposed to." Giuseppe said softly, angrily. "The enhancements you received were an enormous find to the scientific world, and they wanted to harness those enhancement for better health technology! We're not creating biological terrors for the military, only a furthering of stem cell research!"

I narrowed my eyes. "If that's what you're doing, fine." I put a finger to his lips to silence him. "However…" I trailed off provocatively, "Should any suspicious activity come to my attention, and you know it will, you and your friends better be aware of the consequences. This mutanogen is not a plaything to be confused for godliness, but a destructive force to be reckoned with. I fear it will be the downfall of you and your colleagues. It was for me, after all."

With that warning set in place, the bonds lifted and Ana and I disappeared into the night, using a different escape path to avoid detection. We decided to leave the laser re-directed as a warning that all was not safe.

**Mika, do you really think that they're just working on health technology? **Ana asked from her flight in the clouds. **'Cause something smells way too fishy about all the security and junk they had there.**

Paying little attention to the scenery, I replied, _Ana, there's not a snowballs chance in hell that they're even remotely working on health issues. Security was far too tight for that, tighter than ever! And there were some suspicious animals for stem research. Have you ever heard of a scientist testing a new vaccine on a wolf? Or a komodo for that matter! Those are vicious animals, Ana- I think we may have a problem in the future!_

We flew (or rode, in my case) back to our respective homes, a dawning threat lingering in our minds.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Don't own the TMNT, no matter how many times I've prayed to the cartoon gods. I hope this chapter will make sense. OC's are mine, no touchies! Oh, and I couldn't remember how to spell Tokka and Razaa's names, so if anyone knows, please tell me and I'll correct it pronto!

All activity stopped as a resounding knock echoed through the Lair.

Mikey paused his movie, grabbed his nunchakus and peered out into the sewer, his brothers forming a 'v' behind him, should trouble have actually come 'a knocking'.

"It's just me, Ana, and Lily." I said, hoping they would recognize my voice. As to how I'd found the lair, Ana used her mental powers to lock on to their 'signal', and led us on a merry hunt through the streets, and sewers, of New York. I stepped further into the light.

"Oi, welcome back babe!" Mikey enthused, opening the door for us. He gaped. "And who are these bodacious babes you brought with ya?"

I laughed.

"Guys, this is Anastasia Williams," I pointed to the blonde near-carbon copy of myself (with minor tweaks, of course), "And this beauty here," I giggled as Lily flushed, "Is Lillian Mauser."

**Hey Leo, hey Donnie! **Ana squealed, racing over to give them both a hug. She noticed the two other turtles, and Splinter standing a little ways back. **Hi, how are you doing?**

Ah, Ana- the perpetual fountain of bubbly happiness! She approached the other two slower than she had Leo and Donnie, while Lillian, Lily for short, held back behind me. Lily's always been a shy, quiet one, while Ana was the wild and crazy party-girl; I kind of fell somewhere in between their polar ends of the personality spectrum.

I saw that she and Mikey hit it off pretty well, both being hyper and goofy, while Raph, his distrust of strangers well apparent, stuck close to Master Splinter's side. I had sympathy for him. It's not every day you have three mutant females drop unexpectedly into your home, none of which you know well. I decided to make formal introductions with Splinter.

"Sensei," I said, using his formal title, "These are my close friends Anastasia and Lillian. I assure you that they trustworthy, caring people who will understand your plight." I chuckled, adding, "That, and Ana got Leo to dance."

Leo got this Kermit look; you know the one where he's annoyed? That look, combined with a dark flushing, made quite a spectacle. Even Lillian gave her two cents, giggling.

"Is this true, my son?" Master Splinter asked, whiskers twitching amusedly. Leo's mouth worked, but no sound escaped, his embarrassment too great. Master Splinter took pity on him, as Mikey and Raph cracked up No way bro! "There's no need for answer, my son. I am pleased you have dabbled in the finer arts." He smiled, turned to us girls, and said, "It is a great pleasure to see you again, Miss Spade, and even greater to meet some of your friends." He gave a slight bow, which I returned. "Please," He said, as he hobbled to his railcar, "Make yourselves at home."

I smiled. I really liked this Splinter. He was like the eye of the hurricane, silent, calm, but with a tremendous sense of power.

"Hey Lily?" I asked, turning to the mouse-girl. She was petite, even smaller than Ana's 5' 5" frame, with pale milky skin, large brown eyes, shaggy grey and brown hair to her waist (currently in a braid), and two extremely cute mouse ears peeping out from her thick hair. She was dressed in khaki shorts (a hole made for her thin, whippy tail) and a maroon turtleneck, complete with hiking boots and square-rim glasses perched on her adorable pink nose. She was built similarly to myself and Ana, except she had claws instead of fingernails, and if you looked very close, her skin was covered in a soft, almost translucent, down of light brown fur. "Lily, do you have those notes we made last night?"

It was two days since we'd infiltrated the installation, and from Ana's probing, my interrogations, and Lily's deductive genius, we'd come up with a pretty awful setup.

"Yeah, I have them." She said, in her soft, guttural voice, "Where can we discuss this? And with whom?"

"Probably Donnie." I said, and afore-mentioned turtle looked over at us expectantly.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Donnie asked, moving closer to us, his entire demeanor questioning.

I took the proffered papers from Lillian and handed the to Donnie.

"I figure you guys ought to know about this." I said flatly, still worked over about G-man. "We keep our patrons and people we have in hiding informed about odd happenings in the mutant world." I watched his expression carefully, hoping he could help us put more of the puzzle together. "We talked to-"

**More like interrogated **Ana quipped, looking over from her spot next to Mike on the couch. Apparently they'd been in deep discussion over the latest events in the City.

"-Okay, interrogated, what we believed was an old friend for details, and took a quick peek around the station. Someone is up to something." I muttered, trying to keep my fear from carrying through my voice. I looked Donnie in the eyes. "There is one other thing. The security of the compound was heavily increased from my last run there, and Ana sensed a great deal of stress hanging over almost all of the heads there."

Donnie looked troubled.

"If what this says is true, we could be looking at some serious troubles in the future." He ran a hand over his eyes. "This all points to some mutanic experiment. As far as the stress, I've got a gut feeling that not only have they completed one experiment, it's no longer in their hands." His expression darkened frighteningly. "Henceforth, we may have a new, and possibly dangerous mutant roaming the city."

Mikey blanched to a lighter shade of green.

"You have to be kidding me." He cried. "You mean that they're making MORE mutants? On purpose?" He looked over at Leonardo, who looked equally disturbed. "Leo, bro, tell me we ain't gonna be dealing with another Tokka and Razaa! We were barely a match for them, and we don't have Dr. Perry around to fix up a solution!"

"You have us, and you have your genius brother Donnie." I said firmly, trying to reassure him. "I'm sure, with all our geeky-nerdy-scientific brains all put together, we can come up with a solution." I drew a breath. "There is one problem."

"What's that?" Raphael, of all, asked, his hands resting on the hilt of his Sais.

"We have no idea what we're dealing with." Lillian spoke, for the first time since she arrived. "From what Mika and Ana were able to garner, we could be facing an extremely deadly mutant of one species, like the Komodo Dragon, Panther, or an even worse combination of DNA- a super mutant." She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "As of now, we still are lacking pertinent information regarding the type and species this possibly escaped mutant is." She glanced at Raphael. "We were hoping you could help us out."

"Yeah," I chimed, rising, "This really needs to be stopped. Whoever is funding this project, and whoever allowed this mutant to escape, needs to be stopped." I paused, "Another interesting piece of info, is that they are covering up this scandal, claiming the mutations and mutanogen are being studied for a continuation of stem-cell research."

"Impossible." Donnie denied, vehemently shaking his head, arms folded over his plastron. "I've already research and toyed with that concept. If I can't do it, I highly doubt they can."

Mikey still looked worried.

"What will Master Splinter have to say about all this?"

"The same as the young ladies have said." Splinter announced, causing all of us to jump. We hadn't even heard his approach.

"This needs to be stopped. Immediately."

A/N: A bit long; I wasn't able to find a feasible break-up point for this chapter. Now that Lillian is introduced as the real detective of the operation, will she and Don be able to discover, locate and destroy this could-be super mutant? Tune in next time (if reviews inspire) for more action packed adventure in the Spade series!

**Grin** I had to do that.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the TMNT, no matter how many times I've prayed to the cartoon gods. I hope this chapter will make sense. OC's are mine, no touchies!

**Acknowledgements:**

**Sinners**: Thanks babe, I hope ppl like it when they go to Ihon! Thanks for the review, hun, you're awzumated.

**Reinbeauchaser**: Sorry, these little side stories I wrote are supposedly taking place after _this_ story, hence the alcohol consumption. I'll get to that part eventually, don't worry! Thank you for the reviews!

**Sassyblondexoxo**: Yeah, I know, my dad's the same way. Actually, I think Mikey's prediction is coming true, just not with whom he intended! Thank you for the reviews!

**SaphireCat**: I'm glad you like it, and I do intend to write more. Although at the rate this story is playing out in my head, it'll be a LOT more. Thanks for the review!

**KLCtheBookWorm:** Yeah, it'd been forever and a day since I saw the original series (I like that best, the new one weirds me out) so I decided to base it off the movies, since I'd seen them more recently. **Lol** at this rate, I won't finish this story anytime soon!

**(On with the show!)

* * *

**

Lillian and Don were poring over a series of blueprints to the Installation, trying to decide where they could possibly infiltrate, seek and destroy the mutanogen, plans, and possibly reverse any effects already in place. I was skimming recent news articles, thinking that maybe, just maybe, there'd been a sighting, or something that could provide leads. Ana was up topside with Mikey in disguise, doing a general mind scan of passersby's, seeing if they'd had a fright, or if there was general word on the street. Leonardo and Master Splinter were meditating on the matter, and Raphael was doing something in the dojo. It really sounded more like he was killing the punching bag, or some small animal.

Oi.

"Hey Lily," I called, frowning at the computer screen. "Come look at this… does this seem odd to you?"

I'd come across a news vignette about a series of brutal murders with seemingly no location pattern, no gender pattern, and definitely no actual murder style. A completely random series, no weapons discovered, no marks identifiable, and no suspects named.

Lillian came into the lab (Donnie had been nice enough to let me use his precious computer.), leaned over the chair behind me. to read and give me her opinion on the findings.

"Did you find anything else besides this?" She asked, disturbed by the graphic description the reporter had given. What is it with reporters and trying to scare the population?

"Yeah," I answered, pulling up new windows with more recent reports. "Apparently in upstate New York, they'd had a scare with a 'frightening furry creature, with wings like a bat, and the head of a dragon.' I passed it off as a farmer's tale until the murder series caught my eye. Then this one," I said, opening another window to a report from yesterday. "This one scared me. 'Last night,'" I read off the screen, not noticing the three other sets of eyes peer around the door, " 'A series of shocking thefts and attacks terrorized Upstate New York, frightening the townsfolk, and causing several families to evacuate. One eyewitness told investigators that a 'dragon' and several 'shadow-bandits' stormed the small town, raiding and looting, before releasing some 'wild animals', who then attacked several residents and shopkeepers. The death toll at this time is uncertain, and the hospitals have been flooded with the wounded from this unprecedented event. At this time authorities have no leads, and no comments for the press.'"

A gasp came from the doorway. Apparently Mikey and Ana were back, with Don in tow.

"I told you!" Mikey shouted, upset, "We've got another Tokka and Razaa, and this time there's MORE!"

"Not only that," Donnie interjected, "It also seems like the Foot are involved."

"Oh shit!" I smacked my forehead in frustration. "Lily, Ana, I forgot to mention that I'd been informed that the Foot are back up to no good, and that the others need to watch themselves."

Lillian's eyes flinted.

"Mikaela, I wish you had said something sooner." Her voice was harsh. "Dmitri is in hospice care because of a severe beating. Hewould havedied from it, if Rebekah hadn't found him."

I paled.

"My god…" I whispered, hoarse. "Oh my god, I'm sorry…" Eyes wide, I rested my head on my hand. "We're not safe anymore." I raised my head. _ANA!_ I commanded.

**Yeah?** She said, worried. **What's up?**

_Ana, I need you to go back to the safe house and let everyone know that they need to take whatever they need and go to the club. The Foot are back, and they have a bigger arsenal, and I need everyone to be in a safe location until this blows over_I thought, directing it towards her. I didn't need the others wondering what I was talking about, at least not yet.

**Gotcha.** She acknowledged, running off and out of the Lair.

"Hey, babe, what're you up to?" Mikey asked, racing after her. "Don't go off on your own! It ain't safe!" We heard both of them disappear up the ladder.

"Where's she going?" Don asked, sitting on his bed. Lillian sat down beside him, gazing at me expectantly, and hurt as well. It wasn't often that I kept her out of the loop on things, but this was something that Don didn't need to hear. I sighed.

_Too late anyway, Mikey's following Ana back._ "Well, I sent Ana to warn the others, and to round 'em up to the club. It's a safe place, Frankie can guard it well, and he has Jesus, Hardy, and Lua to help." Seeing Donnie's confusion, I added, "They're former military, like me and Lillian and Ana."

"Oh." He said, giving Lily a sideways glance, "I see." She gazed back at him impassively, but since I knew her better, I could tell she was challenging him.

"Okay, enough, kids," I said, waving my hands between them. "We have planning to do." I ticked off my fingers, "Tonight, We need some sort of patrol going on, to sweep the city, just in case the Foot decide to try and wreak some havoc, we'll need communication between the Club and the Lair, and we may need some back up unit ready." I looked at the two. "Lillian? I want you to stay here and research everything you can find about this scam that I-12 has come up with, and possible ways to either disable or destroy their operations." Said mouse-girl nodded and moved to the computer, bringing up Donnie's sophisticated search engine. I turned to the Turtle.

"Donnie," I said, gaining his attention from Lillian. " I'll need you to stay here, since you're the only medic we really have, with Lillian to see about reversal possibilities. I'm going to set up the patrol time and group for later." I started to the door, so the two geniuses could start their work, then stopped. "Donnie, does the Foot know of your location?" I asked, fear lacing my voice.

Donnie looked at me hard.

"No." He said, pointing to a tower of electronics. "This here's the platform for all my security measures. If the Foot were looking for us, we'd know where they are, way before they do." He smiled and tapped his dome. "Genius, remember? Ow!" Lillian had slapped him lightly on the arm.

"Okay then genius," She drawled, "Get to work then!"

I laughed, and went on my way to Master Splinters carriage. I knocked lightly.

"Come in Mikaela." His soft voice flowed through the paneling. I frowned. How did he know it was me? Shrugging, I slid open the door, was caressed by scents of sandalwood and frankincense, and candlelit darkness. I closed the door behind me and waited.

"Come sit Mikaela," The aging rat said kindly, patting a cushion. I obliged, seating myself Indian style. Leonardo was seated beside Splinter and across from me. His eyes glittered in the flickering light, as did his masters. "There is something troubling you, child." Splinter said gently, placing a paw, frail-looking but still strong, on my shoulder. "What of it?"

I closed my eyes, relaxing.

"Sensei," I began, using his title, "We have come across some disturbing events that lead us to believe that the Foot has a hand in the escape of this mutant. We also have discovered leads that cause us to believe that there are more mutants freed, and not good ones either." I paused, gathering my strength, "I ask your permission to have your sons go on patrol with myself and Ana tonight." I caught his eyes, my own pleading for his acceptance. "We really could use their skills, Sensei. Myself and Ana, and a few others are trained for combat, but we are only so few, and there are so many to defend." I bowed my head. "I beg of you Sensei, allow us to join forces to stop this monstrosity from causing further harm."

Master Splinter remained silent, but when I opened my eyes, sneaking a peek, I saw he was smiling.

"Child, of course we will help you." He chuckled, "It is what my sons are trained to do, and what they have been doing for some time."

"Yeah," Leo joined in, "Saving the city's become a full time job for us now."

I looked at them, eyes wide.

"Damn, I feel sorry for you. That's one big city!" I jibed, earning a smile from Splinter, and a frown from Leo, but that was probably from my expletive.

"In that case, Sensei," I minced lightly, "I have a plan for tonight."

Master Splinter and Leonardo leaned in as I explained my proposal for the evening.

* * *

Later, Ana and Mikey returned to give a progress report of the evacuation of the Mutant-tenanted housing complexes to the club. All was well, and Frankie and Jesus were conferencing battle plans, should the Foot, or one of those crazy mutants, attack. Dmitri was recovering smoothly, and Lua was preparing herself and her kids for recon. Azriel, Gabriella had the ability of flight, thanks to their wings, and were reviewing maps, should they find themselves getting lost, or should a mutant or Foot patrol be spotted. 

All in all, we were gearing up for what might be a huge battle. It was a frightening thought, in my opinion.

"Okay, Leo?" I said, properly suited up for patrol. "I'd like you and Raph to stick to the Western side of the area, Mikey and I'll take the Eastern side. That was we'll cover more terrain." I zipped the front of my old recon suit up further. "Gabriella and Azriel, Lua's kids, will provide flight cover, as will Ana. However, Ana will also act as our correspondence, filtering whatever Gabby and Az happen to find." I looked at the Turtle's leader. "Sounds like a plan?"

Leonardo shrugged.

"As good as one can get, providing we know almost nothing of the situation, or whom we're facing."

Mikey nodded sagely.

"Right on, bro." His demeanor cheered suddenly. "So, Mika-babe, it's just you 'n me, huh?" I rolled my eyes.

"Mikey, you are such a dork." I smiled, letting him know I wasn't offended, "Rein in your hormones and we can get going, eh?"

Mike laughed.

"Okay babe, whatever your gorgeousness says!"

"MIKEY!"

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, the story is picking up speed (I think), so I should be getting to more action-y sequences soon. I've got some good ones in mind! I'm really loving writing this… and please keep reviewing! (oh, and I've discovered how to use quickedit, too! Yay!) 

The Spade


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Don't own them, wish I did, prolly never will. OC's are mine though!

Acknowledgments:

**SaphireCat:** Thanks hun, I appreciate the reviews!

**BubbleyShell:** You've got some mad skills too, and thanks for the compliments! Hope this chapter's up to par

**KLCtheBookWorm:** Yeah, Iknow. Krang, or whatever, was one of the ugliest, and weirdest villains I'd seen.

**Reinbeauchaser:** Well, I thought that would add a nice twist if they never knew each other had existed. I mean, what's the probability? Even in New York City? Thank you for the reviews. Oh, and I'm usually up at 0545 . Even 0500 is too early for me!

On with the story!

* * *

We waited until sundown to start our patrol. One, because we needed the darkness for cover, and two, we didn't want to add more to a public hysteria, and probably end up in jail, on a dissection table, or shot. All of which would be really bad. 

Things went according to plan, me and Mikey running patrol on the East side, Leo and Raphael running the West side, guided by either Azriel or Gabriella. Ana was our transponder, while Lillian, Master Splinter, and Donatello remained in the Lair, seeking out countermeasures for the mutations.

Things were pretty intense right then, as Mikey and I building hopped. One thing that was pretty cool about my mutation was this substance I could produce at will, which allowed me to stick to the sides of buildings and other objects. Tree frog, remember?

"See anything yet Mikey?" I asked from my perch on a brownstone's ledge.

Said turtle had been scanning the horizon, streets and alleyways in the vicinity. "Nope, sorry babe. There's no activity at all." He looked troubled. "That's kind of weird. Usually the Foot have _something_ going on around this time."

"Really?" I asked, curious. I had honestly thought that the Foot had been crushed by the police force a while back.

"Yeah babe," he turned and flashed me a charming smile. "We're the ones who've been fighting them all this time." He nodded. 'The police got all the credit, mostly because we didn't want to be made known. Our friend April, though, she gives us anonymous credit for captures and whatnot via the media."

"April O'Neal, correct?" I queried. He nodded, enthused. "I've seen her on the news." I shrugged. "Honestly, after my stint in the Forces, I got sick and tired of seeing all the bullshit on the news. I rarely watch it anymore."

'That sucks, you missed all the publicity of our heroics!" Mikey joshed, giving me a friendly shove. I grinned, then gasped.

"Holy shit, why, didn't this click before!" I laughed. "I remember a newsstory mentioning y'alls names!" I lowered my voice, "The only reason I was watching it was because of the TGRI incident, and the rumors of some beasts tearing up the city." I said conspiratorially, grinning. "Kudos for putting a stop to that! I'm impressed."

Mikey smirked. "Hey, it's all in a days work for _this_ turtle." He said cheekily, hooking his thumbs under a pair of invisible suspenders. "You know, defeat the bad guy, save the city, get the girl?" he winked. "Haven't gotten the girl yet, but ya never know what'll happen!"

I raised an eyebrow saucily. "You really think you're gonna get the girl this time, Michaelangelo?"

He grinned, just as saucily. "I'm sure gonna try- they're actually in my league this time!"

I chuckled, "Mikey, with your charm, anyone's in your league, hu-"

**LEO, RAPH! **interrupted our conversation, causing both of us to jerk. **Azriel reports a bunch of Shadow Bandits, or Foot soldiers? Well, a bunch of those on a heading to intercept you. Another warning- he can't quite see what it is, but they've got something BIG in their midst. He says he'll try to get a better look, but they're moving awfully fast! Be careful, ok?**

Mikey and I looked at each other. Our first view of these things should be interesting- I just hoped that Leo and Raph would be okay against all them.

_Ana?_ I called. _Is there anything in our area? I'd like to go give our other boys a hand._

**Gabriella says she hasn't seen anything. Go ahead.**

_Tell her we're heading towards the others, okay? And let them know we're coming._

**Roge-o, will do!**

"Hey, Mikey?" I said, tapping him on the carapace. He turned, "Let's head on over to your brothers." I said, all business. "I think they may need some help with this one."

"No problemo sweet-tart," Mikey patted my back. "Just try to keep up, eh?"

"Whatever. You'll be eating my dust!"

We raced off into the night.

* * *

**Raph's POV:**

We'd barely gotten warning from our sky-pal Azriel, and then out of the blue we were surrounded by Foot dick-weeds, and two MASSIVE, ugly-as-hell mutants. I swear, when those two showed up, even I started to sweat.

We took out the Foot retards easy as pie, but when the two uglies moved in, I swear, it brought me back to the night we'd first faced off Tokka and Razaa. It was as ugly now as it had been then.

Getting hits in wasn't as hard, but those guys weren't showing signs of wearing.

At least mine wasn't.

"HEY, UGLY-MUNCHER!" I shouted, trying to get the lizardy one's attention away from Leonardo. Poor guy'd been ganged up on, and that pissed me off!

"Gggrrrraarrrgh..." It rumbled, turning a pair of neon-yellow eyes towards me. Man, that thing was something freaky. Taller than me, spiked, with some wicked looking claws, and a long spiked tail.

"Yeah, you ugly!" I said, trying to piss it off, so it would come after me. Leo looked busy enough with the bat-winged thing, and didn't need this one too.

Apparently that did it, cause right then it charged, flailing it's tail out at me. Damn, but that did sting. No matter, though, I managed to stick the damn thing about eighty times, before it started getting _really_ pissed off!

"GRRRRARRGHH!" It cried, lashing out with a clawed hand, missing.

Gotta love those Ninja skills!

Too bad I didn't notice the damn Foot backup closing in. Fucking cheaters.

**

* * *

Mikaela's POV **

Me and Mikey were a little winded when we arrived at the battle scene, and boy was it ugly. Wounded soldiers, blood, and two monstrosities that were toying with my buddies.

Mikey threw several shuriken, spattering across the chest of the lizard thing that was swinging Raph around.

"Is it just me, or does this seem awfully familiar?" he shouted, leaping over a ledge, coming to his brother's aid. I on the other hand crawled up the side of the building, looking for a good jump spot. I didn't like how the Wolf-Bat was circling a bloodied Leonardo. I could tell he was in pain, and I could also tell that neither had seen my ascent.

Silently,I perched, clinging to the brickwork with the sticky-pads on my fingertips and toes, slowly blending into the pattern whilewaiting for my opportunity to strike.

I leaped!

Good thing too, because that was the moment that the Wolf-Bat was speeding down to an injured Leo, which angered me.

He had his Katana raised, ready to strike, as i slammed into the back of the Wolf-Bat, sending it careening off to the side. Leonardo clipped it hard with his katana blades, and a trail of blood followed it down over the side of the rooftop. I landed a bit ungracefully, and ran over to him.

"Oh man, Leonardo," I worried, fussing over his wounds. I reached into a pocket of my jumpsuit. "Here," I said, handing him some aspirin, while getting to work field-dressing some of the larger cuts. "Man, I'm so sorry!"

"No worries," he said, swallowing the pills, grimacing. They weren't gelcaps, so they tasted pretty nasty. "You couldn't have possibly known what we were facing, so it's not your fault. We just weren't careful enough." He hissed asI applied peroxide to a nasty cut.

"Sorry," I said, rubbing neosporin on a scrape. "I stillfeel awful for dragging you and your brothers into this mess."

"LOOK OUT!"

I turned at the sound of Mikey and Raph's warning. I shoved Leonardo out of the way as the Wolf-Bat barreled at us, claws out and deadly sharp. I leaped onto the side of a building, and scrambled upwards.

I turned in time to see the Wolf-Bat streaking towards me, mad with rage, talons fully extended. I starteda leap to another building with glass windows, a surfacy easy to cling to.

Time seemed to slow down as the creature got closer, wings flapping furiously, howling an eerie wail.

A sword pierced the ribcage of the Wolf-Bat as it neared, causing it to spin away from me, howling in pain and anger. I was in mid leap, when I felt it.

Four claws ripped through the thin fabric of my jumpsuit, tearing skin and flesh from my lower torso and left thigh. My flight became erratic as I spun out of control, flying straight towards a glass superstructure.

I could feel my blood pumping out of my wounds. _Shit, that's serious damage..._

My vision started to fade as the windows loomed larger.

I didn't feel anything when I impacted, shattering glass windows with my momentum.

"MIKAELA!"

* * *

A/N: Short chapter, butI wanted to flesh it out a little more. oh, and these chapters will probably be further and far between, sorry. Please keep reviewing though! And if there're any inconsistancies, let me know and I'll try to fix them!

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Don't own them, wish I did, prolly never will. OC's are mine, however.

Acknowledgements: I'd like to sincerely apologize for the utter lack of care taken with spacing and punctuation in my last chapter. **Bows** Please forgive! Will fix when plot bunny quits nagging!

**ReinbeauChaser:** Thanks for the critique on H,M,&M, and those incosistancies will right themselves later in THIS fic. This is kind of the prequel to everything else I've written.

**KLCtheBookWorm:** I know, I'll fix them eventually. I really want to get this damn plot bunny out of my already cluttered mind before I do much else! You know, side fics are just spawn of plot bunnies. Yuck.

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**Michaelangelo's POV:**

"MIKAELA!" I heard myself shout.

I felt so helpless when I saw Mika-babe get scratched and plow into the windows. I was also somewhat impressed with the amount of destruction she caused with her bodacious body alone! Three windows! That's, like, a record or something!

I saw my bro move in for the kill, an eerie light in his eyes. It totally freaked me out- I'd never seen him like that, so… so willing to kill! I mean, I was pissed off about the cheap shot, but goddamn! Leo looked livid! He almost reminded me of Raphie when I left his Sais in the toilet, and forgot about them. That turned into a major stink, pun intended!

I turned away as my bro's katana parted the air, and the creatures neck in a spray of blood. I think I turned green, er, greener than normal, cause the body, oh yuck, was flopping around like a beached fish, except it was splattering its red essence around.

"Oh, gross!" I cried as it splashed across my chest. I saw Leonardo kind of wobble, then sink to the ground.

"Leo!" I cried, rushing over to him. A quick glance behind me let me know that Raph was a little busy with the lizard thing. "Leo, bro, are you okay?" I bent over him, rubbing his shoulder gently. He looked shaken.

"Mikey," He croaked, turning a pained gaze towards me, "Go help Raphael. I'm going to look for Mikaela."

Just then two large figures swooped to the deck, Gabriella and Azriel. They rushed forward, wings rusting, feathers ruffled.

"Michaelangelo!" Gabriella shrilled, frantically scanning the area. "Where's Mika? I saw her jump, but she disappeared from view!" Her short white hair shook along with her head, "Have you seen her?"

"MIKE!" I heard Raphie shout angrily, "I COULD USE AN F-ING HAND HERE!"

""Comin', dude!" I shouted, starting towards him, "Sorry Gabby, I can't talk now, Leo can help ya!" I called over my shoulder as I palmed more shuriken to blaze at the Demon Lizard.

* * *

**Leonardo's POV:**

I was shaking as I explained the situation to Gabriella and Azriel. Both were frantic with worry, and quite frankly, I was terrified for the female myself.

Azriel flew us both to the jagged, gaping hole Mikaela had blasted into the structure with. There were bloodstains on the glass, on the carpet, oh gods, so much blood!

"Mikaela?" I called out. Azriel hovered outside, his wings were just too big to allow him entry. I got no answer, which led me to two horrifying options. Either she was dead, or she'd been captured, and would be dead soon.

I heard a noise. It sounded like a moan was coming out from under one of the messes of desks, chairs and paper that graced the room. The lights were out, and the filtered moonlight gave everything an frightening glow, casting gruesome shadows on the walls and floor. Then I realized that one of the big shadows wasn't a shadow after all. It was a trail of blood, leading to a pair of feet and papers.

"MIKAELA!" I cried, scattering the papers. "Oh my god, Mikaela!" The extent of her injury was a spectacle to behold. The faint rise and fall of her chest caused a flood of relief to wash over me as I gingerly picked her up, mindful of the glass that had buried itself all along her arms and legs. Amazingly enough, her ribcage and abdomen were unscathed, save for the four gashes down her left side that were still bleeding profusely.

"Oh man…" She needed immediate attention! I moved to the window.

"Azriel!" I commanded. Az flew in closer, eyes widening in horror as he saw his friend, broken and bloody in my arms.

"Oh my god, MIKA!" He cried, starting to shake.

"Azriel, look at me!" I shouted, gaining his attention. "Mikaela needs immediate care. Do you think you can carry her to the Lair? I'll send Mikey back to brief my brother."

"But-" he started.

"But NOTHING!" I yelled, handing Mikaela over. "My brother can help her, GET HER TO SAFETY!"

Azriel shot me a frightened glance and flew off into the night with his load cradled in his arms.

I leaped over the precipice and landed on the rooftop.

"Mike!" I called, running to the battle the two were involved in.

"Yo bro!" Mikey cheered, but even he couldn't hide his fear. He thwacked a Foot on the temple, dropping him like a stone. He laughed. "Mikey 23, Foot ZIP!" He grinned. "So what's the news bro?" His gaze went from happy-go-lucky to worried in point-one seconds.

"Mikey, I need you to go back to the Lair and make sure Donnie and Lillian get the full scope of what happened, okay?" He nodded as I gestured to Raph. "Raphael and I will finish up with this mess."

"Gotcha, bro. Mikey to the rescue!" He shouted, beginning his rooftop journey back home.

I turned toward my brother in red.

"Raphael!" I yelled.

"What, O'fearless leader!" He yelled back, more exasperated, as he kicked a Foot ninja in the back, sending him sprawling.

"Save some for me!" I growled, leaping into the fray- katanas exposed and whirling.

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**

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Lillian's POV: **

A crash announced someone's presence in the Lair. I looked at Donnie, who got up and poked his head out the door.

"Oh my- Lillian, come here!" I heard him cry. The tone he used sent a shiver straight to my heart.

Something was really wrong.

I walked out to the living area and screamed.

Mikaela, my best friend, was lying on the couch, looking like she'd gone through a bloodbath, and a shredder.

"Mika!" I yelped, racing over to her side. I immediately noted the shallow breathing and felt for a pulse. I was relieved, she had one, faint as it was. I looked at the frantic turtle behind Don.

"Mikey, what happened?" I asked hoarsely, "Donnie, get the med kit please, I need surgical tools, gauze, antiseptics and a dose of antibiotic, something strong… penicillin?"

"Back in a flash," he said hurriedly, dashing back into his lab.

"Mikey." I ordered, snapping him to attention. "This may sound odd, but I'll need your help undressing her so we can get a better idea of the damage." Mikey flushed profusely, but nodded. "Okay, lift her shoulders up," I directed, unzipping her jumpsuit to her waist, exposing bruised and burned flesh. I rolled the suit down, and ripped the sleeves away, not wanting to risk moving any possibly broken bones. I checked her pulse again. Good, getting stronger.

"Mikey, please help me rip the front of the suit up, it needs to come off." Mikey and I painstakingly tore the uniform up making the removal process easier.

"She's gonna be mad." I murmured, as the last of it was carefully removed, exposing the true extent of injury.

Mikey whistled. "Da-amn…"

"Excuse me, but I think we should focus more on the injuries, NOT the body!" I snapped, infuriated that he would ogle my injured friend.

He held his hands up in defense, shocked. "No, no babe, not like THAT, I was commenting on her wounds- they look pretty awful!" I softened slightly as Donnie came running up with a large bundle in his hands. He flushed as well.

Rolling my eyes, I took the tweezers. "What is with you guys and blushing?" I snipped, as I began the slow and thorough process of removing the glass from her arms and legs…

* * *

About an hour into it, the two other Turtles came back to the lair, bloodied- but otherwise intact. Donatello went to give them first aid as they had a few attention-worthy cuts and scrapes, Leonardo mostly. 

**WHERE IS SHE!** A scared-yet-enraged voice rang out in our heads. I winced. _I wish she'd learn to control that…_ A blonde blur literally flew into the lair, trailing paper and dust in her wake. **WHERE'S MIKA!** Anastasia cried, running to my side, tears streaming down her face. My heart went out for her, poor girl. She looked like I felt about an hour ago, collapsed and terrified, shaking like a leaf.

**Mika!** She sobbed, reaching out a trembling hand to touch her forehead. **Lily! I can't sense her mind!** Ana cried, turning her stricken gaze to me, then to Donnie. **You can help her… right?** She asked, her 'voice' small and frightened.

"Yes, Ana, we can help." I soothed, my sympathies extending to her. I patted her arm. "Don't worry Ana, she'll be fine. She's getting better already."

**Really?**

"Yes, really," Donnie interjected. "Her cuts and bruises are already healing. As for the larger cuts, I think she should be properly healed within a week." He smiled at her, patting her head. "Come on, why don't you go rest. I'm sure you're either really exhausted, or on your way to a really bad migraine." He frowned. "I'd offer you my room, but we may need that to monitor Mika…"

"She can use mine." Raphael said, surprising us all. He walked over to Ana, and helped her up off the floor.

Ana nodded and allowed herself to be led to his room.

A few minutes later, Raphael emerged.

"She's asleep." He said, moving to the kitchen.

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**

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Donatello's POV: **

Once I was assured that my brother hadn't more than a few cuts, scrapes, and bruises, I re-focused my attentions back to the couch. Lillian was still patiently examining wounds for glass, tweezing what was found, daubing clean cuts, and flushing infected ones. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of warmth towards the quiet female mutant, as she cared for her friend. That twinge suddenly turned to a full-out twang of heat, as she looked up at me, smiled, and brushed her hair out of her face.

"Don, could you tie this for me?" She asked, flipping her mane over her shoulder. I could understand the need for securing it- it would keep her hair out of the wounds. Still, I flushed as she nodded towards a scrap of cloth that looked long enough to hold her thick gray-brown hair.

I picked it up. "Um, Lillian?" I gulped. "I don't know how to tie hair… I've never had any to worry about." Wow, flop of a joke. She smiled patiently.

"Just gather it all together, wrap the cloth around the hair and tie it off tightly." She winked reassuringly. "It's not hard, trust me."

I moved around behind her, hesitantly reaching out to gather the shaggy sections together low on the base of her skull. Her hair, despite its wiry appearance, was incredibly soft, almost softer than the fur behind Sensei's ears. I remember their softness from a post-nightmare hug years ago. As I was smoothing it all back, I noted a lack of human ears, replaced by dark brown mousy ears on the upper sides of her head. Said ears twitched in amusement, I supposed. I guess I was doing a clumsy job of it, but come on, I only have three fingers!

"Thank you Donnie." She acknowledged, as I tied off the ponytail with the strip of cloth from Ana's mangled jumpsuit. Said mutant was covered with a sheet now, one leg exposed for Lillian to examine.

"Woo, Donnie!" Mikey breathed in my ear as I brushed past, suddenly feeling claustrophobic in that room with two beautiful women. "Already have one snapping at bait, huh?" He grinned mischievously, winking his approval.

"Mike," I sighed, knowing what would happen if no denial was given. "You know me. I'm the computer geek, perpetual inventor. I don't care for, nor need, a woman's attention!"

"Yeah right, bro." Mike rolled his eyes, sauntering into the kitchen. I followed.

"Whaddaya mean, 'Yeah, right'?" I countered. I didn't like how he was reading me like that, it made me feel vulnerable. Having someone almost read my thoughts set off loud alarm bells in my head, making me feel non-secure. Like someone had invaded my most inaccessible sanctuary.

"Dude," Mikey said around a mouthful of cookie, spewing a small shower of crumbs. "I'm not blind. I've seen the way you look at her, how you've managed to open up to her more in the past few days than to us in the past few YEARS." He swallowed, glancing balefully at me. "I'm not an complete idiot, you know."

"Yeah, you're an incomplete one." Came a voice from the doorway. Raph opened the makeshift fridge, and pulled out a bottle of Yoohoo. "Mikey's right Donnie-bro." He took a large swig, grimaced and shook the bottle more. "We've all noticed, but like always, we gave you privacy." He swilled his Yoohoo thoughtfully. "Let it ride, Donnie. See where this goes." He looked at me meaningfully. "Once this shit blows over, what're we gonna do now that we've found more of our kind? Think about it." With that, he left, leaving two astounded turtles in his wake.

I blinked. "Was Raph… _philosophic_!" I was dumbfounded. To be honest, I knew he had more depth than he let on, just as Mikey had proved a minute earlier, but I foolishly thought that his vocabulary was little more than beer, rock'n'roll, and expletives galore.

"Wow, and it made sense, too!" Mikey cheered, spraying more cookie crumbs everywhere, including on yours truly.

"Mike, that is so gross." I said, sickened by the paste of saliva and cookie running down my plastron. Grabbing a washrag, glared at him, then started to wipe myself off.

"Ah, well, can't change who I am!" Mike quipped, cheeky squirt, and ambled off. "I'm gonna check up on Leo. Where is he?"

"He's most likely in the Dojo, or in his room meditating."

"'Kay."

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**Leonardo's POV:**

I sat in tumultuous meditation, reliving the night's battle, trying to seek out weakness in our opponents. The Foot were easy to deal with, last night's even easier, possibly trainees receiving their first brutal lesson of battle. I tried to focus on the Wolf-Bat and the Lizard, but images of Mikaela, broken and bloody flitted through my consciousness, followed by a rekindling of the blazing, fiery rage I had felt after. Images of me hacking away at the Wolf-Bat, finally severing its neck, watching the head roll away in revulsion, fountains of blood streaking the night air with its pungent coppery smell.

"Leo?" I heard my brother, Mikey, call softly into the flickering darkness. I had lit incense and candles to enhance relaxation, but it just wasn't happening.

"Leo, bro, you okay?" Mikey asked, worried. He sat down next to me, searching my face over the flame of a candle. "Dude, you've got me worried." He looked down at his lap, "Bro, when I saw you fight before, you seemed so controlled, so…._you_. But then… Mika-babe got hurt and you… you… you _lost_ it. I mean _really_ lost it." He looked up, scared- something that shocked me.

"Leo, you had the same look that Raphie gets when he's really ticked off." Mikey cried, anguished. "What happened bro? We've never seen you lose it like that, or even _that_ bad!"

I was silent. What my brother pointed out was something I wasn't able to put my finger on either. "I have no idea why, Mikey." I said softly, reaching across to grip his forearm. "I just saw Mika crash into the building, and then this volcano erupted in me."

Mikey nodded. I sighed in disappointment. "I really have no idea. It's like the thought of someone hurting her enraged me!"

For some reason, Mike smirked. I raised an eye ridge, silently asking 'What?'

"I think you _liiiike_ her!" Mike sang.

I swear, if I'd been one of those anime characters Mike raves about, I'd have fallen over in shock.

"Not at all Mike!" I protested. He leered knowingly.

"C'mon dude, I've read the signs!" he cackled loudly, pointing at me. "It's like Raphie pointed out, we've never known more of our kind, much less FEMALES of our kind, whatever kind that is, so what makes it so unnatural for us to be attracted to them!" He gave me the fish-eye look. "Dude, you're not the only one, Donnie's got the hots for Lily-babe out there, and I'm more than sure that Raph is into Anastasia. Why do you think he actually let her into his room?" Mike reasoned.

I grunted. _Why didn't I think of that_?I mused, irritated at missing the obvious. "So what do we do?" I asked. I was at a complete loss. _Natural instincts demanded that eventually we procreate a family, and the opportunity was handed to us, almost on a silver platter!_ I shoved away that thought, offended. _They're not objects_! I yelled at myself , _They're women, and deserving of respect_!

Mikey laughed. "Ride it out dude, ride it out." He stood up. "You know, it was Raph that said that." He gave another fish-eye look. "Makes me wonder just how much of those lectures he's actually absorbed!"

That brought a smile to my features.

"Go away Mikey, I need to meditate on this a little while longer."

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Splinter's POV: **

Journal entry:

From my carriage I could sense much of the turmoil within each mutant, and my sons. I could understand their desires and their lack of experience in dealing with such, as they have never been in what would be a 'normal' environment for experimenting and understanding their drives; physical, sexual, even life-long desires such as raising a family. I extended my sympathies to my sons. Even I was not immune to the effects of the charming Miss Mauser. But I am old, and therefore I was able relinquish any desire for attachment easily. I have had long years of practice to thank for my ability to resist earthly desires. As of late, my only true desire has been to see my sons happy and prepare for my departure from this world, which I suspect is sooner than I predicted. I must meditate more on that matter.

As for the female mutants, they have been a welcome addition to the household. I have noticed a distinct change in my sons since the arrival of Mikaela, days before. They are less irritable with each other, and in my son Raphael- grant him peace- a lessening of the torrential anger he holds within. I believe I have Miss Williams to thank. Her mere presence now soothes the rage, a startling revelation, as she has performed a feat in a matter of days, compared to the years I have spent trying to teach him to control his rage and impulses. I sincerely hope that she can continue to pacify him, and grant him the peace and happiness he deserves.

My son, Leonardo, has shut himself in his carriage to meditate on a troublesome matter. His complete loss of control shocked me thoroughly- I had never seen, or felt my son so angry. It was as if he had suddenly started channeling his brother's anger through himself! I refrain from passing a judgment on his actions, as he seems to be as confused as myself. Ah, his brother Michaelangelo has joined him, worried for him. Michaelangelo. At times it seems that he and his antics have been all that held the four together. His sweet and understanding nature allows him to soften even the hardest hearts, minutely at least. I find it odd that he, the self-appointed 'ladies man' of my sons, has not shown an interest in the newcomers. I regret to say, I thought he would be the one to react the way my three eldest have. Maybe he has more discipline than I give him credit for. I must correct that.

I must go now, journal, I feel a storm brewing outside my carriage.

Jya.

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Anastasia's POV: **

I'd forgotten how I got there, but I woke up in a strange room. It was neat, semi-tidy, only a few magazines and things cluttered in a corner, and a few dust bunnies here and there. I decided to take a quick peek around.

"You're awake." A voice said. I recognized it as the red one… Raphael! That was his name again.

**Yeah.** I brushed my hair out of my face. I felt sticky and gross. **I'm up. How is Mika?**

"She's sleeping now. Your mouse friend and my bro patched her up good." He jerked his head towards the outside of the carriage. "She's in the lab, Donnie's room, if you want to see her."

**Lillian.** I said automatically, picking my way to him.

**Thanks.** I patted him on the shoulder. He looked away.

"C'mon, I'll take ya to the lab." He placed a large, leathery feeling hand on my elbow and guided me to the lab. I know he knew I knew where it was, why was he acting …well, for lack of a better term, gentlemanly? It boggles the mind, especially since he'd been so hostile the first time we'd met!

Change of heart, maybe. Who knows?

"Here." Raphael held the door open for me as I timidly crossed the threshold of Lair to Lab. I immediately noticed the cloth-swathed figure on the bed.

**Mika…** I murmured anxiously. I sat on a stool beside her, caressing her forehead- poor thing was sweat streaked and grimy. She needed a bath once she healed. Maybe before, if the 'docs' clear it!

I looked up at a silent Raph. **You're sure she'll be okay?** I pleaded, imploring him for the bitter truth.

Raphael squatted beside me. "Doll, she's gonna be fine. Lillian said she heals quickly anyway, and Donnie said there wasn't any serious head trauma or internal damage." He nodded to the sheet covering her. "Already her cuts are healing, most of the smaller ones are gone!" He looked back at me, something akin to compassion flashing in his gaze for a moment. "She'll be fine."

On impulse I reached forward and hugged him.

"Thanks Raphael."

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A/N: I hope this was better than last one. Mika's down for the count, but not for long, according to the 'Docs', Splinter is reveling on the emotional shifts in his children, and the girls are a little dense. Whee! I'm having fun! R&R please!

The Spade


	15. Chapter 15 revised

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, or any affiliates related thereof. I own only my OC's and anything not TMNT-related in this series.

Acknowledgements:

**BubblyShell**: lol, I'm glad you enjoy it. I'm also uber-glad you were actually able to picture the sequences in ch.13. Sorry I didn't acknowledge you in ch.14, I think you reviewed after I updated ;;;

**KLCtheBookWorm**: Yeah, this is fun. Yeah, the POV things are a little distracting, but they're essentially to make sure the reader knows who's saying what- so there's no confusion. Sometimes I actually forgot who's POV I was writing from ;;

**SassyBlondexoxo**: Thanks; I'm glad you caught up! Chapters, fic wise at least- not updates, should be giving some hints of finality soon. I really think I'm looking at writing well over 20 chapters, which doesn't bother me much, but, oi, it keeps my ideas boxed up for too long!

**

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A/N: okay, revised so reading is easier. Don't worry, I will include other characters as the story moves along. I think that when it's finally completed I'm going to combine come chapters. I may be a while for an update, if work keeps up the way it is. But don't worry everyone, The Spade will return!**

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The Beginning, Chapter 15 (wow, a milestone:D)

(Don's POV)

It was about three in the morning when I realized I had fallen asleep on my keyboard. Wiping the drool from my lip and making a face at the sticky keys, I yawned, stretched, and gave the laboratory/ medical ward a once over. All seemed quiet, machines humming lowly (and soothingly to the techno-geek within), quiet as a mouse. I allowed myself a wry grin at the irony of my last thoughts. Lillian was curled up in a stuffed chair beside the pallet we had confined Mikaela to, whiskers waving gently to her breathing pattern, her face devoid of tension. Involuntary sigh. I wonder if we really do have a chance at family and a life other than the one from before… it seems so real now.

Lillian stirred.

"Donnie?" She half asked- half yawned. "What're you doing up so early?" She was clad in a pair of boxer shorts and an oversized shirt, which, during her yawn, had slipped over a shoulder, revealing smooth, pale skin. I dropped my gaze, embarrassed.

"Not much." I evaded her sleepy gaze. "Just fell asleep on the computer again."

She smiled sleepily, stood and patted the chair she'd been napping in. "Here, sit down." I hesitated, wanting so much to share the chair with her, but still… I don't know why, but she scared me at the same time. I stood, decisive. She moved, allowing me room to sit back in the chair, and then startled me by grabbing a blanket and curling up in my lap, resting her head in the junction of my shoulder.

"Mmm, night Don." She murmured, drifting back off. I sat for a while, simply stunned, and more than a bit nervous. I glanced over, double-checking on the status of our mutual patient, assuring myself that she was progressing fine.

Satisfied, I closed my eyes and forced myself to relax, so I could fall asleep easier.

Eventually I did.

* * *

(Leo's POV)

I was disturbed out of my slumber by lights from the living area, and soft television sounds. Groaning and blearily rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I rose silently, ready to berate the perpetrator, most likely Michaelangelo.

Stealing out of my room, I was not surprised to find the television on, the volume quite low, but nobody in sight. Glancing around, I was rewarded with the light of the kitchen on, and the sound of someone rustling for a midnight snack.

"Michaelangelo-," I started, rounding the corner- thoroughly irritated at being woken so early.

"Mmph?" A pair of green eyes queried from above a mouth full of what looked like a sandwich. My jaw dropped.

"Mikaela!" I cried, astounded, then lowered my voice. "What are you doing here?" She grinned around a cheese sandwich.

"Meph mph mmnph!" She … well, said.

"Can ya at least finish before you explain?" I strained, leaning against the counter, arms crossed. I was concerned for her, but she seemed to be in good health. It was utterly amazing!

"Okay," She said, making a show of swallowing the sandwich. "Well, like Lily said-" She grinned, showing her arms, "I heal quick. No scars, see?" She emphasized, sticking one arm and leg out, before switching. It was then that I really took notice of her.

It was almost as if time stopped.

She was leaning against the counter in a pair of orange silky boxers, a black t-shirt, and black ankle socks drinking from a bottle of orange soda. My eyes slowly traveled south to north, taking in the bronze and copper skin, lean muscles of her very long legs, the hint of a nicely tapered waist, a well shaped bosom, and the sinewy cords in her neck as she tilted her head back to catch all the soda had to offer. She swallowed the last, licked her lips appreciatively, and gave me a cheerful smile.

My mind jolted back to reality as she walked towards me.

"Sorry I woke you, Leonardo." She closed my open jaw and pecked me on the cheek. " 'Night!" And brushed past me to the living area, obviously wanting to watch more t.v.

* * *

(Mika's POV- several hours later)

I woke when my legs were lifted and then rested on a firm, yet pliable, surface. My first thought was, where the hell am I now? Then reality kicked in. Apparently I'd fallen asleep on the couch with a bowl full of popcorn nestled in one arm, and the other dangling over the edge with the TV remote.

"Wake up droolyface!" A chipper, _way_ too chipper for this early in the morning, voice rang out. For a second I wondered who they were talking to, and then it dawned on me. More like it slimed on me, to be accurate.

"Oh man, gross!" I growled, wiping the trail of saliva from my cheeks with my arm. Kind of sick, I know, but it was the handiest thing besides my Garfield shirt. I wiped some off on Mikey, the source of the jibe.

"Eeew, nasty!" Mikey cried, half disgusted/ half amused. "I'm not the Brawny guy, you can't just wipe whatever you feel like on me!"

I rose up on one elbow, balancing the bowl on my oblique muscle structure. "Gee Mikey, you think you could handle slime." I grinned, "After all, didn't you get splashed with goo before? Wimp!" I sang, launching a fistful of popcorn his way.

Naturally, a popcorn war ensued, and was soon disbanded by the 'fearless leader'.

"Do you two think you could get any more childish?"

Of course simultaneously, the Mikester and me zinged a hailstorm of popcorn at Leonardo.

"NOPE!" Two voices cried as one, as the pack leader fruitlessly dodged our assault.

(30 minutes later)

"Whoa, Donnie!"

"Woo, got lucky, huh Lily?" I jibed, poking Mike in the ribs and snorting with choke-held laughter. "You just lost a shitload of points, girl!"

Said mouse and turtle gave us simultaneous death glares for one; having been woke up at some ungodly hour of the morning (Saturday mind you), and two; having been poked fun at for, well, come on, it was obvious they'd slept in each others arms! How cute and funny could that be! That or I have a really odd sense of humor.

Maybe both.

Lillian scrambled out of Donnie's lap, a pink tinge spreading from her pink nose to her whiskers. I bit back a mad bout of laughter at the scene. The two calmest, most collected brainiacs I'd ever met were scrambling around like two kids caught in the back of a truck making out by the police.

"Mikaela!" She snapped, annoyed at our intrusion, "Why aren't you in bed! You shouldn't be running around like that, you've lost blood, you look like you got mauled by a tiger… wait…" She peered closer, once she'd located her glasses. "Oh, wow." Mollified, she turned my arms over, and then to my embarrassment, lifted my shirt to examine my rib-cuts.

"Baby got back, woo!" Mikey quipped from behind, sending a barb of irritation through me.

"Okay, okay, you get the point Lily," I said, yanking my shirt back down, flushing as I realized Donnie had seen… well just about everything! Gah!

Lily smirked- she'd gotten her cool points back, and it HAD to be at my expense no less. Well, technically, I kind of deserved it, so it was ok… sorta.

"Well," I grated, clenching and unclenching my fists, feeling air released as my knuckles cracked and popped, "You got yours, now I'm gonna go watch TV! So there!" With a haughty flounce of the hair, I turned on my heel, smacked into the doorjamb, cursed a blue streak and finally made it out the damn door. A trail of laughter followed me, as my face burned hotter and hotter.

I bumped into someone.

"Watch it, man!" I lashed out.

"Doll, it is way too early in the morning to want to 'rassle with me." A very tired looking Raphael mumbled, picking his way to the bathroom. "Come find me later, then we can play games."

Rolling my eyes as he stumbled away, I went back into the kitchen to make coffee. Who did I find but Master Splinter reading the paper, a steaming china cup (tea probably) in close reach.

"Good morning, child." He greeted, a grandfatherly smile crossing his shrewd features. I smiled.

"Good morning to you, Master. I hope I didn't wake you last night." I replied, poking my head into a cabinet on a hunt for coffee grinds.

"They're in the refrigerator, daughter."

"Thank you Sensei." He smiled grandly at his formal title, while nodding assent.

A few minutes passed as I prepared the grinds and set out my favorite mix-ins for coffee, then I sat down.

"You are all healed." A statement.

"Yes, Sensei, I am healed." A crease of the forehead. "I'm not sure how I got hurt though, I mean, besides the claws. The last few minutes of the battle are kind of fuzzy."

"You are also troubled that you do not measure up." Another statement. What is this guy, a mind reader?

"Well," I hesitated. Usually if I packed my fears in the recesses of my psyche they cease to bother me. "Sorta. I can't believe I wasn't quick enough to dodge that things claws." My hand found its way under my chin, as I grew pensive, staring ahead at nothing. "That was the first time any of us had ever fought another mutant."

"You did well, considering." Master Splinter soothed. "Remember the mistakes you made, perfect and erase them, and then you will have mastery of the body." He turned my face to his with one soft-furred paw. "However, true mastery of oneself comes from mastery of the mind. Remember this, and let it guide you." He released my chin. "The Mets did poorly again, I see." He muttered, allowing a little irritation that his favorite baseball team lost their southwestern tour. "There goes their shot at the pennant."

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Sensei." Leonardo spoke, bowing at the waist.

I blinked. Too many things racing around my brain this early in the morning. Master Splinter watches BASEBALL? And Leo spoke old-world Japanese. Man, I felt a headeache brewing on that one...

Yikes.

* * *

**A/N** (again): Okay, here's some downtime, goofing off stuff. I've got some more fun storms brewing inside my cranium, but I suppose I should leave you all hanging so you send nice (and some odd o.O) reviews saying I need to continue or die trying- btw, that was inspiring ShadowWarriro4God, I truly enjoy the fact that you want me to finish this!

Ta ta for now!

The Spade


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer**: Same old, don't own, wish I did. Just own my OC's. Anyway, don't have much time, so I'll make this quick.

Ch.16

* * *

Afternoon in the Lair. Somewhat difficult to determine, as the location prevented seeing the state of the sun in the sky.

I was getting bored. I was all better, but of course Donnie and Lily wouldn't listen to _me_, they'd listen to mechanics. Sheesh.

"Hey guys?" I ventured from my slouch on the couch. Various head poked out of various doors; the kitchen the most prominent.

**What's up Mika?** Ana asked, licking the batter from a spoon. Apparently after she was done smothering me with hugs and drowning me in tears of joy (damn that girl's emotional for a mute), she decided that she and Mikey would make get-well cookies. Which confused me a bit, after all, I _was_ better!

"I'm thinking I want to go back to my pad and check out how things are." I stood, turned and met a dawning horror. " Oh gods, Ana, that's gross, _please_ stop." I covered my eyes. She had cookie-goo all over her face, and was licking it off in globs.

Michaelangelo gagged as some splatted on him. Ana had missed capturing a glob and managed to drop it on his toes.

"Ana, go in the kitchen and finish baking! You're making a mess!" I yelled, my eyes covered from the culinary horror that was Anastasia.

**Okay okay, sheesh!** She snipped, backing into the kitchen. Donnie and Lily had equally disgusted looks plastered on, and Leo was impassive. Thank goodness that Master Splinter wasn't around, he'd probably laugh!

"Anyway… is it clear?" I asked. I had my eyes covered still.

"Yeah." Three voices chimed. I sighed in relief, flopping back down on the couch.

"Like I was saying before…. Now that I've been cleared from the doctors from hell," I quipped, earning dark glares from said docs, "I want to go back to my place and check on Rookie. And my art." As an afterthought.

"That's cool." Mikey said, cheesy grin firmly in place. I rolled my eyes.

"What, I need an escort _everywhere_ I go?" I flashed a glance at Lily, who nodded.

"Fine by me. I'm going to stay and see what else I can learn from the tech guru here." With that, she took her leave and popped back into the 'Lab'. I smirked at nothing in particular. Oh this was too rich here, two techno geeks romancing around the bush.

I locked gazes with Michaelangelo, grinned, and stood up again. Glancing at my attire, I grimaced.

"I really want to take a bath and change…" I whined.

"Bro, why don't you take Mika-babe back to her apartment?" Mike asked, to my chagrin. _Crap, he knows_! "I gotta stay here and make sure Ana-banana doesn't burn down the kitchen!"

"Well… lets go then." Leonardo reluctantly agreed, in his adorable voice.

_Okay, mental slap to the forehead- don't even think about it Mika_!

"Right-o leader-san," I waved dramatically to the ladder leading out of the abandoned train station. "Tally ho!"

Leonardo looked like he was trying really_, really_ hard not to laugh, but I could tell he wasn't too pleased with the situation, through tone, inflection, and visual expression!

Frankly, neither was I!

* * *

Later…

We did the usual rooftop bounce to my apartment, using the bay-window/doors as our entry. Nothing looked wrong, hell, it was just as messy as I'd left it.

"YESSSSS!" I exulted, falling face first onto the California king, nuzzling my fuzzy blanket. I rolled over.

"So good to be home…" I sighed, then stood back up and ended up falling under a bit of a dizzy spell. Odd as it seemed, Leo was at my side when I started swaying.

Strange.

"Hey, do you want tea, or something?" I asked suddenly, surprising both of us.

"Um, sure." Poor toitle sounded so unsure of himself. Awww…

I led him down into the living area, and meandered off to the kitchen in search of teabags and my electric kettle. After three tries I found it under the kitchen sink, of all the dumb places to have electronic items!

"Okay, the water's boiling, the tea is out- what kind do you like?" I asked, finger steepled before my face as I looked down at the reclining turtle.

"Chamomile, if you have it."

"Sure thing!" Rushing back to the kitchen at the sound of the whistle, I stacked teacups, saucers, creamers, sugars, and an assortment of teas (and the teapot of course) on a tray. Balancing my heavy load on both forearms, I edged my way into the living area.

No Leonardo.

"Leo?" I asked, craning my neck around a corner.

"You've got a lot of nice artwork!" A voice practically shouted in my ear. I screamed, and almost dropped the tray. Setting it down on the coffee table, I whirled at my offender.

"MICHAELANGELO!" I heaved, eyes wide, hand over heart. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!"

Laughing- "Oh man, you should have seen your face!"

"I don't CARE!" I yelled back, still racked with shivers, "Where'd you come from? I thought you wanted to stay behind!"

"Well, yeah, I did," Said chelonian smirked, "But Ana got some help from Raph." He winked, "You'd be surprised at how quick a learner he is- with the right instructor."

I held up my hands. "I DON'T wanna know, Mikey." I looked around. "Eh, this is just the junk that doesn't get sold."

"It's still nice- very modern."

"Mikaela!" Leonardo's voice echoed from the office area.

I scrambled up the stairs, to see Leo bent over one of my fuzzy pillows. He looked up at me with sad eyes.

With a cry I saw what the pillow was.

Rookie.

(break)

"MIKAELA!" Mike shrilled, rushing over to me. I was huddled against a sympathetic Leonardo, hands over face openly bawling over the remnants of my cat. It was obvious he had his neck broken, and dried blood spattered the carpet around him.

"Mika," Leo prodded, shifting so his arm gave me a half-hug. "Mika, I found this too."

**STAY AWAY. Don't interfere again, or you'll be missing more than a cat.**

I read the note over and over, rage consuming my soul. How dare they mess with my family! Why me!

I stood, shaking with fury, the note crumpled in my fist. "Guys, I want to know who did this." I shot an supremely evil look their way, "NOW."

* * *

A/N: Short update I know, but I haven't had much time to add to the story. Next time should be longer. 


	17. Chapter seventeen Woo!

Disclaimer: I do not own these fine new specimens, save for the Original Characters there-involved.

Authors note: Now that I have finally gotten internet access on my personal computer and not that slow, bumbling machine at my workplace, I can finally write and post on my OWN time; which is appx. Six PM whatever time zone Tokyo is in.

And that weird Microsoft computer thing is now a rubix cube. Weird.

The Beginning Chapter Seventeen (ooh, fun!)

* * *

**Leonardo's POV:**

After Mikaela ran off with Mikey in pursuitscaring the daylights out of me, I took the poor tomcat's remains down to the Lair. I had full confidence that Michaelangelo could find and return her to us, and to safety. With these recent scares, I could sense the intense rise in tensions among us all, even Master Splinter.

"Donnie?" I called, but received no response. I suppose he was out junking again, looking for replacements for all the 'toys' that Raphael and Mikey have ravaged. Oi.

"Leo?" Lillian queried, stepping out of Donatello's lab-slash-room with a beaker of orangey fluid. "What's wrong?"

"Lillian..." I paused, unsure of how to explain the situation at hand. "Lillian," I tried again, "We found this in Mika's apartment." I cut off, uncertain. I thrust the wrapped bundle towards her.

"Oh god..." Lillian paled several shades lighter than normal, her downy fur standing in stark contrast to the white of her skin. I t was ethereally captivating, but not so much as Mikaela's devilish bronze skin..._ (OH DAMN, do NOT go there again_.) Mental slap to the forehead aside, Lillian snatched the bundle from me and raced into the lab.

"Oh god no... no no no..." She muttered over and over again as she pulled vial after vial out of the myriad tornado-wreck called Donnie's workbench.

"What are you doing?" I asked, curious as she pulled a well-worn notebook from her satchel.

"I want to be absolutely positive that this is Rookie-" Her voice caught. Apparently Mika wasn't the only one who loved that cat.

_(Poor Mika_.)

"Dudes?" I heard Mikey's normally cheerful surfer-boy voice cut through the silence with edginess.

"In the Lab, Mikey!" I called, turning slightly to the door. He appeared seconds later looking worse for the wear.

"What happened!" I exclaimed, startled by his disheveled, bruised, and scratched up appearance.

"Mikalea happened." Mikey grimaced, rubbing an obviously aching shoulder. I felt sorry for him. I've seen how April rags and raves on Case, but Mikaela's a bit different.

_(Gah! Stop thinking about her!)_

"She lit into me once she found out I was following her, and MAN does she hit HARD!" Mikey complained, popping joints and rubbing sore muscle. "She kicked the bejeezus outta me, then begged me to leave her alone."

"Where is she?" I asked, heading out the lab for my railcar- hopefully I wasn't too obvious of my intent.

"Dude, don't even try alone. She's beyond pissed."

_(Damn.)_

"She's more like PMS, Migraine, Acupuncture, and numb-free surgery all rolled up into one fireball."

I have to admit I eyebugged a bit at that analogy.

**I'll go.** Ana piped up, exiting Raphael's compartment, semi disheveled. I wasn't about to go _there_, for fear of freaking out.

Shudder.

"Okay then. Ana and I are going." I closed the conversation.

**Did you find out where she went to?** Ana asked, miffed. **This is the third time she's done this, and I hate to admit it, but she's found a way to block my mental probes when she's in a state. Sorry.**

"Not your fault, Ana-banana!" Mikey half-grinned, with a sly wink. "But she didn't escape Mikey the Sam Spade clone... well, in a turtle's body... from finding out her hiding spot!" He gestured grandly, another one of his cheesy impressions falling into place. "This is the location of Mika-babe. What is the Zoo?"

"The ZOO?" I clipped, astounded. Now there's an interesting hiding spot, among nature. Nearly perfect for a quarter-amphibian/reptile to hide.

**You know that almost makes sense?** Ana snipped, looking _very_ annoyed. **I should have thought of that. She loves animals and nature, and despises experiments.** laughing, Anastasia went on, **You know, if she hadn't had the accident, she probably would have been kicked out from freeing test animals.**

_(And not have met me...) _"Well, let's not waste any more time, eh Anastasia?"

**Right on, Leo-baby.**

Mikey simply laughed.

* * *

**  
Later, after a long chat on Ana's cellphone with Lillian...  
**

I'm happy to say that, to everyone's relief, the blood tests that Lillian had done on Mikaela's cat did not match with blood samples taken from the animal on her rug.

However, we were much more relieved when we were able to locate the owner in the Zoo's massive compound.

**Mikaela!** Anastasia cried up towards a massive tree inside the 'Alligator Island Zone'. _Who makes up these names?_

**Mika, it wasn't Rookie!**

A shadow leapt down from the branches, green eyes blazing in the pale moonlight.

"So where's Rookie?" Mikaela snarled, advancing towards our small party in a menacingly stealthy manner.

**We're not sure, Mika.** Ana thought-spoke gently, placing a delicate hand on her shoulder. **Lillian and Donnie are at a loss, but we know that the cat in your apartment wasn't poor Rookie.**

"I still want to know where Rookie is!" She shouted, tears springing to her eyes. Instead of comforting, Ana froze.

**Leonardo, do you feel that?**

"Yeah, but what is it?" I asked, licking my lips. I didn't like this feeling- Someone, or worse, _something _was out there.

** FWSHHH**!>

A smoke bomb landed in the midst of our trio.

"The Foot!" I cried, drawing my swords, their hissing giving me the calm focus and knowledge that they wouldn't fail me.

* * *

**Ana's POV:**

The smoke was clearing, but neither me or Mika were able to close our lungs up before the fumes reached them, inducing our current state of racking coughs.

Through my coughing fit, I could see multiple shadows moving through the choking mist around us.

** SNICK>**

I heard the cable snap out before I could register that I was caught in its steely grip! I glowered, my eyes clouding over with pale reddish sheen.

**FLEX**

I felt the wellspring of power flow through me, guiding its strength towards the filaments of cable wound around me, pushing, pushing, _pushing_! –against the snarls, testing for a weak spot.

Quick as a flash I perceived Mikaela rushing to me, intending to use her awesome strength to rip the cables apart. I didn't doubt her ability, not at her level of rage. I know it sounds corny, but once upon a time her nickname was 'She-Hulk'

_**FLEX!**_

No way.

_(There's no way!)_

**MIKAELA!** I screamed, horrifed as the cables tightened harder, as if they could sense my thoughts!

It was getting darker.

I was asphyxiating at the mercy of a cable.

_(How… embarrass…ing…)_

_**Mika…**_

**_

* * *

_Mikaela's POV:**

I was in a blind rage.

I hadn't been this volcanic since the bastards that tried to kill little Sue had the gall to show up at her house.

_I was_**_GLAD._**

As far as I could tell, Leo was holding his own with some Foot-jackasses who crashed my Macy's day parade by leaving a dead cat in my _GOD DAMN ROOM_!

I smashed my fist into one nameless black mask, whirling into another with the blade of my hand. I heard bones snap and exulted. _You bastards!_ I guess they decided I was serious after that, cuz one of the uglies produced a bo staff, swinging away like I was some sort of tree. Well, a tree would've been safer cause this guy was LAME!

** SMACK!>**

Down with the bozo! Next please!

Aw, shit, he _cut_ me! Okay, same as before- with a kick kick here, and a smack smack there, here a kick there a kick, everywhere a kick kick! Down those Foot boys go!

"Leo!"

"What?" My blue masked hero (_Aw jeeze Mika, you sap...)_ yelled back, busy with another black masked weirdo.

"Where's Ana!" I looked around in the midst of bowling down Foot ninjas like snowcones. _If that makes sense._

_**Mika…**_

"ANA!" I shrieked, turning to the beacon of her voice. "SHIT!" I saw she'd been (figuratively) turned into Medusa, or worse as she'd been all coiled over like a python's lunch! I raced over towards her, when I blinding flash of light lit up the zoo like high noon!

"You have to be kidding me."

** HISSSSROOOOAAARRR!> **

A Dragon.

A freaking DRAGON in the middle of the goddamned zoo.

_(Sorry kids, I think this guy ain't gonna be held in by cages!)_

"SHIIIT!" I yelped, dodging a lethal blast of flames, as a gigantic reptile, with massive leathery wings launched itself into the fray. And by god, was it ugly.

You know those cool looking dragons you see carved, or drawn from medieval times? Yeah, this guy... no GIRL! definetly was NOT one of those. Not by a long shot. A blunt snout with upcurled lips showed rows of ragged, snaggly, razor sharp teeth, and a trio of slitted nostrils above that, and dead white eyes, with no visible pupils set under a bony protruding browridge line with spiky horns. Flapping spiked ears increased their tempo as the creature grew more agitated. It lashed its massive head around, spewing forth another deadly plasmatic fireball, crisping several Foot soldiers to way past well-done. I noticed a sinewy neck attached to a set of massive and seemingly improportioned sloped shoulders, leading to gigantic wings, small hindquarters, and a long, whippy tail evilly barbed with long, freaky looking spikes.

_(Eyeeeewww... )_

**HISSSSSROOOOAAAARRRR**!> It bellowed again, issuing it's challenge at the puny creatures scrambling about to avoid looking like overcooked Popeye's chicken.

"LEO! Where are you?" I shrilled, suddenly afraid he'd been hurt, or worse… _(no I won't think of that!)_

"Mika!" I heard him yell somewhere off to my left, through a wall of flames and what appeared to be some remains. I shuddered. Death was never pretty. I leaped, pulling an Arnold Schwarzanegger classic through-the-flames-I-go! maneuver- with Anastasia temporarily, but not totally, forgotten.

"CRAP!" I shouted, annoyed at a miniature enemy, "THERE'S MORE OF THESE THINGS!" A mini dragon-thing snarled and puffed a miserably small ball of flame at me. I raised and eyebrow, then vaulted over it as well, leaving it to slash and burn at trapped Foot goons.

I felt more than saw Leonardo hidden under a pile of brush, yet something compelled me to look upwards.

Through a roiling wall of burning brush, lights, fire and the steadily growing sirens, I saw something that stuck me cold.

There was no mistaking the figure slung over the shoulder of the other creature.

"ANA!" I howled, before Leonardo dashed up behind me, pinning my arms in a hold.

The pink haired creature, no, _woman _gazing hard back at us quirked her lips into a smile. My eyes widened more, both through rage and recognition.

SHE LOOKED LIKE ME!

I felt Leonardo stiffen in shock, then the flames flashed higher. When the wind blew them to the side, i gasped.

They were gone.

**"AAAAAANNNNAAAAAA**!"

** HIISSSSSRROOOOAAAARRRR**!>

The malevolant beast behind us raged, destroying more of the zoo, and then raising its head, cocked it to the left, before taking to the skies- the rest of it's obvious brood trailing behind.

"Leo…." I was trembling uncontrollably. I couldn't help it. Two of my closest companions- gone. In less than twenty-four hours.

He held me as the tears began to fall, the two of us emblazoned in a ring of fire.

"Mika..." He murmured, turning my face towards his. I gazed at him mournfully, face streaked with grime, soot, and tears.

"We have to go before the authorities arrive." I tensed up in his arms, easing up a little as he soothingly rubbed my back. I was still angry at having my cry-session disturbed, though. He leaned closer.

"We'll get her back." He whispered. "I promise."

I nodded shakily, and he led me to the wall.

Adrenaline pumping, we disappeared into the night.

* * *

"What happened?"

"My god, Mika, are you okay?"

"Leo, what did you do!"

"Shut up Raph!"

"No, you- jerkoff!"

"Both of you shut up! Mikaela, are you okay?"

"Move over, give her room to breathe!"

"Do you want something to eat?"

"Where's Ana, Mikaela?"

I screamed.

Balling my fists, I turned to the nearest stationary object and buried my arm up to the elbow in it.

"Damn, she broke the stereo…"

"THEY _TOOK_ HER!" I raged, pacing a wide circle of the lair's living area.

"Who took who?"

"Ana! The Foot!" I sobbed, collapsing onto the couch. Someone covered me in a blanket and held an orange in front of me. I shook my head. I was too upset to eat.

"Calm yourself child," Master Splinter's gentle voice wafted across the room. I sniffed, wiping away my shame. "Tell me what happened."

A tidal wave of emotion washed over me, then I spilled everything. Rookie's disappearance, my disappearance, then Ana's forced disappearance. I told them everything, except for my own selfish desires. Those were better left unsaid.

I felt someone sit next to me on the couch, and wrap their arms around me in a long hug. I opened my screwed shut eyes.

I blinked. Leonardo had his arms around me. All of a sudden I couldn't decide if I was devastated or elated. I decided to test the waters and leaned my head on his shoulder. Then the tears came again. Here I was being selfish while Ana, my best friend, was out there somewhere!

My story been said, Leonardo- ever the leader- spoke up.

"I think we have a bigger enemy at hand." That caught their attention from gawking at me.

"What is it, my son?" Master Splinter asked, a steely glint entering his eye.

"Well, now we know that whoever they are have access to chemicals any normal criminal wouldn't have a chance at, and that they are using animals to experiment on." His voice took a grave edge. "Like Mikaela said, we ran into a dragon and it's kids, but one thing she didn't mention was that we got a glimpse of one of the new enemy."

"Well, what'd he look like?" Raph snapped, the anxiety overlaying any ill-attitude in his tone, "Dammit Leo, you saw him! Tell us!"

The dam broke and the attention was again focused on me.

"She looked like… ME!" I cried.

* * *

**Third Person View... some time later...**

"Cloning maybe?" Donnie ventured, unsure of himself.

"Not likely." Lillian countered, sipping at her coffee. Another thing those two annoyingly had in common. Coffee addicts. "I cannot think that they would have been able to obtain the sufficient DNA chains, or proper technology to obtain such a developed likeness.

"Well, not exact likeness." Leonardo threw his two cents in, after a bite of coffee-cake Mike made. "She had some disturbing similarities, but there were also some major differences. The girl had the same basic figure (_here Michaelangelo snickers_) Shut up Mikey and the facial features were akin, but the hair and the skin and the eyes were different, and she was much more muscular than Mika. Not freakishly muscular, but definetly more built than Mika"

Raph snorted. "Sounds like you got a pretty good view, Leo."

"I was only being observant, Raph." Leonardo growled in response.

"A little _too_ observant!" Mikey chimed, and Donnie play-smacked him upside the head. "What?"

"I still think that if it was the Foot, they're not working alone this time. Someone else has their hand in this." Lillian stood with her steaming cup. "Don, I'm going to check out the references of some of the major scientific research institutes around the area." With that, the mouse-girl left the room, with a long glance over her shoulder. Donnie glanced at his brothers, wiggled his brows and followed.

Mike's jaw dropped.

"Dude…. That was _so_ not Donnie."

"Aaah," Raph snorted, slamming his hands on the table. "I'm gonna go take care of some punks… need to work off some energy."

"Good idea bro. I'm gonna hit the hay tho." Mikey yawned incredibly. "Snooze it up a bit."

Leonardo looked at his sensei as the others left the room.

"Sensei… I'm going to go check on Mika." He tongue tripped as he rose.

"And I shall meditate on this matter, my son. Ensure she is well cared for, as she has lost much today."

"Hai sensei." Leonardo bowed and exited.

The last one in the candlelit kitchen, a cup of tea before him, lowered his head- the flame flickering in his eyes.

"I fear there is more at stake this time, my sons…" He whispered, then snuffed the candle into a wisp of smoke.

* * *

A/N: Drama drama drama! ENOUGH DRAMA! Hopefully I can throw some more romance and action in there next time, but as for tonight my brain is pooped. Hope you enjoyed!

Thank you all for the encouraging reviews, no matter how kooky my stories get!

Reinbeauchaser: Yeah, it got a bit confusing in 'A Chat' but it's still amusing. I like making people think!

Ramica: Yeah, I didn't like using Rookie, but I did need something unexpected. Makes stories more fun!

Pacphys: Glad you liked the chat! I may make a story-like sequel/another chapter.

Much love and luck to all! If I didn't mention you specifically, It's not cause I don't appreciate you, I just have a goldfish attention span.

The Spade


	18. Ch 18

**Disclaimer: **Do not own, never will- wish I could have some shares in 'em tho... lol. I own the OC's and Jake the Talking Weasel.

* * *

Ch. 18

**Ooohh….. my head.** I muttered to myself. I suppose it had to do with the asphyxiation earlier. Dammit, caught so easily!

"Hi."

**What the- WHO ARE YOU!** I bellowed, before spitting out strands of blonde hair that got trapped while I was whirling my head about. Then it hit me. This place smelled chemically, like chlorine bleach and pine-sol mixed. Not pleasant, but better than rotting garbage.

"It's still lights out. The lights won't come back on for two more hours." The voice said, distinctly feminine, but with a gruff, smoky edge to it. "Just enough time to get to know my new cellmate." I heard rustling around, and realized I was on a small cot, similar to those I'd slept on years ago in the service. "I'm called Deuce." A sigh. "My real name though is Samare Jacques, or Sammy Jack." Another sigh. "I hate their stupid lab names, like we're some sort of video-game character they can toy with. Ick."

Samare Jacques, eh? I murmured, sitting up. Where are we, exactly? 

"I don't really know." Samaria said, exuding- moreso than performing, a shrug. "And please, call me Sammy."

**Sammy then. So….** I paused collecting my still fragmented wits. Apparently we were both prisoners- what harm could possibly come of a name? **My name's Anastasia. No last name, which is perfectly fine with me.**

"Nice to meet you, Anastasia." I sensed a hand, and grasped it, realizing just how small our cell was.

**Nice to meet you too.** I thought a moment. **Ever tried escaping?** I thought a bit, trying to sense the layout of the structure, before I actually felt the collar. **_Shit._** Snarling, I felt my way around the collar, feeling no seams, and no mental capacity washing away from myself. Those bastards had a restraining device, somehow devised, clamped on me! If I wasn't so pissed off about it, I'd have been impressed.

"Noticed it too, huh?" Sammy said, sounding vexed. I didn't blame her. "I've got one too. What's yours for? Strength? Manipulation?"

**Telekinesis.** I bit off, still feeling my way around the damn thing, hoping futilely for a seam.

"Ah." Sammy sighed. More rustling as she lay back down, possibly for lights on. Whenever that was. "Mine's for strength and electrokinesis. I have slight authority over energy, and am getting better at focusing it." I heard the grin.

**Cool. Sorry if I don't sound interested, I'm trying to find a weakness in this idiotic thing.** I apologized, while sounding angry. Raph must have rubbed off on me somehow, heh heh.

"No worries,"She humored, "Although you ought to save your strength for a cell-tac- one of the cell-watchers who monitor us" She laughed- a deep, cheery bell sounding laugh. "Those guys are the cream. Capture one and sometimes you can 'convince'-," Here she sounded positively evil, "-Them to let you go. You never get too far though." Wistfulness.

**Sounds fun. **I grinned, liking the idea of capturing a cell-watcher.

HWWWWMMMMM! 

** LIGHTS ON IN THE QUARTERS ** A loudspeaker boomed, making me wince.

I peered across the threshold at my cellmate.

* * *

"…And furthermore, police cannot find a scrap of evidence pointing toward accident or intentional pyroactivity at New York's finest reptile hotel, the Alligator Land exhibit at the New York Zoo. Insofar, Chief Sterns has agreed to convene a conference, to discuss possibilities of criminal, or gang related activiy, but we know when the police are stumped- it's usually when the public is, isn't it, Walter?…"

"I know it's a long shot guys, but maybe Sterns'll bark some good news at me for once." April O'Neal grouched about her supposedly 'lame' newscasting.

"All the same, thanks April." Donnie said, biting into a fresh baked cookie. Mikey got to cooking whenever he got nervous about things, and his concotions were usually comfort sweets. Leo and Raph nodded over a bite of cookie each.

"Which brings us to other things," Donnie carefully glanced over toward his laboratory, which, unusually, was closed up.

"What's up ant-brain?" Casey Jones sniped, a laid back grin on his face.

"Hey, it's ok!" Raph yelled.

Two nervous faced peeked out from behind the sliding door. Casey fell off his chair as two females minced into the living area. One had ears like a mouse and a whippy tail to boot, while the other, taller one, had choppy-cut black hair, brown skin and penetrating green eyes.

April beamed. "Finally some one to talk girl talk with!"

Mikey laughed. "S'right April. April, meet Mikaela and Lillian." Pointing to the respective bodies.

"Hi." April stuck out a hand.

"Hi," Both said, shaking hands in turn.

Casey sat up, regaining his balance and 'dignity', so to speak. "Why so gloomy, guys? The shred-head's dead, the Foot clan's gone, and there's no more weird Japanese dudes running around with my hockey sticks! Cheer up, geeze!"

"We know, Case," Leo began, but was cut off by a pissed off Mika.

"Look, bub" She snarled, her face inches from his, "For all we know the Foot're back with an even bigger arsenal in their favor. Her story?" She pointed at April, "Yeah, that story covers the damage the FOOT did, with some seriously ugly pieces of crap burning shit down around our heads, and weird looking people kidnapping others!"

With that, she stomped off to the Dojo. Leo jumped up after her.

Casey blinked. "Is it me, or did she just channel Raph?"

"Shut up, bonehead."

"Both of you shut up!" April snapped, before rounding on Donnie and Mike. "You mean to tell me that for the last five years, the Foot have been rebuilding themselves! With _other_ jerks behind the wheel!"

"Um…. Do we have to answer?"

"YES."

"Well, then you're not far from the truth." Donnie stated mildly. Lillian sat down besides him and nodded.

"From what we know Miss April-"

"Just April"

"-April, some people we used to work for have been up to some rather questionable experimentations, and we suppose there could be a link between the Foot, the disturbances, and their research."

April looked thoughtful. "So what is it you need me to do?"

"Would a public inquiry be out of the question?"

Woman in question grinned. "Hell no!"

* * *

** Wumph!>**

"Mika-"

** WUMPH!>**

"MIKA!"

"What!" Said female rounded from the body-bag to the blue masked turtle, looking all the part pissed.

"Mika, calm down; I told you we would find her!" Leonardo shouted, startling the female, who blinked.

"Aw crap, Mika, I'm sorry." Leo said, wrapping his muscular, yet lean, arms around a shaky Mikaela.

"Leo, this sucks!" She wailed, tightening her hold on him, not that _he_ minded. "I miss her so much! I know she's alive, but I don't know _where!_"

"Shhh…" He soothed, stroking her hair. "It'll be okay. I promise."

Mikaela pulled back suddenly, eyes darkened. "Don't ever make promises you cannot keep, Leonardo."

"Who says I won't keep this one?" Leonardo countered, gazing back at her impassively.

Unknowing, the two had been drawing closer, closer, until their noses bumped. Mika blinked, then reddened. Then, without a warning, she zeroed in for the kill- planting a firm, but not unpleasant, kiss upon a startled turtle's lips.

Leonardo blinked, and backed up, shell shocked to the third degree. _THAT wasn't expected! _He thought, nicely dazed.

However Mika backed away, looking worse for wear. "That says it all, Leonardo."

She ran.

* * *

**YOU!** I shouted, furiously reaching across for Sammy's throat! **You're the bitch that choked me!**

Sammy backed away, looking freaked out. "What the hell are you talking about!" She yelled, drawing herself up in a passive, yet wary fighting stance, arms at her sides. Her reddish-brown hair was braided on the sides of her head into a choppily layered ponytail. Sectioned bangs partially covered one of her now sparking gray eyes. I could almost see the energy snapping off her, through stance and expression. It was beautiful and terrifying to behold.

I wasn't afraid though. Heh.

"I've been stuck in this fucking hell-hole for THREE YEARS! I've never seen you before!" Sammy was yelling back at me, as we inched around in a closing circle. I snarled, a rough, raw sound, as I hadn't been able to use my vocals for a _long_ time.

She paused. "Oh hell."

Momentarily caught unawares, I hitched a step, then drew myself back into an aggressive stance, arms raised, hands splayed like claws- ready to rip her eyes out if need be. **What?**

"I'd totally forgotten." She gave a small, hysterical laugh and pointed at her green collar. "These things?" Another jittery laugh. " I wasn't kidding when I said they made us into videogame characters. They use us for their desires." Bitterly. "I guess I very well could have choked you." Sammy looked up quickly, eyes scared. "I didn't hurt anyone did I?"

**No one but me!** That came out akin to a lion's roar.

"I'm sorry." Sammy mumbled, rocking back against the wall, sliding down, and burying her face in her hands. Crap. Now I felt sorry for her!

**It's ok. You couldn't control your own self.** I said, even though I was still thinking of many vicious ways to harm her.

"Thank god." She sighed.

**If there is one, out there.**

"Yeah."

* * *

A/N: I know I probably cut it off at a weird time, but I have to regroup my plan now -- damn tangents.

Thanks for the prettyful reviews! They were helpful in many ways. And I really need to give Leo a clue...


	19. Chapter 19

Again the ever-elusive Mikaela had run off, leaving us in a quandary as to what had happened _this_ time.

Girls could be so weird sometimes.

"Mike," Leader-san asked, drawing my gaze from the Lair entrance Mika babe had sprinted from.

"Yeah bro?" I asked, frowning at his dejected expression. _ Great Leo, what did you do NOW? >  
_

"Do you think you could go find Mikaela?" he asked. Gosh, I'd not seen him this miserable since Splinter-sensei had been kidnapped.

I crossed my arms, my face mirroring my displeasure. "What happened?" If anything, his already miserable demeanor crumpled into helplessness. THAT is a scary sight, and one that doesn't belong on my bro.

"Well," He started, groping for words. "I went after Mikaela, and she…. Well…" He reddened, eyes cast at the floor. "We kissed." He snapped suddenly, glaring at me like I was going to laugh or something.

Well, I did- but not in a mean way!

"Dude, that's awesome!" I cried, clapping him on the shoulder. "You finally got the picture!" I giggled as Leo gave me this funky 'I can't believe my ears' look. I sobered quickly. "That doesn't really explain why Mika-babe ran off again, though." I added, eyeing him. He sighed.

"Well, I was… shocked to say the least." He looked right at me, eyes haunted and embarrassed. "I backed away, and I think she misread that. She told me not to make promises I couldn't keep, and then after the kiss said 'that explains everything, Leo'."

Inwardly I was laughing my ass off; outwardly I was rubbing my eyes, shaking my head. "Leo, this was your bad, you fix it! She won't take anything anyone else says, she's gotta hear it from you." Man this was weirding me out- this huge role-reversal: the joker giving advice to the leader. Hmm. Maybe it ought to be done more often. I laughed again as Leo twitched. I wouldn't want to take on an emotional, angry woman!

"Okay… if that's what it takes…" He said, squaring himself, the frightened kid look disappearing.

"That's the Leo I like seeing!" I cheered, pushing him to the exit.

"I'm not ready yet! MIKEY!"

* * *

**A little while later…**

"Mikaela?"

Great. Just the person I wanted to see.

NOT.

"What do you want, Leonardo."

Silence.

"GRRR!" I vented, rotating around from my perch on the sky-rise ledge to see him standing calmly, arms behind his back.

"Mika, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset, and I really didn't mean for you to take my actions like you did. You startled me, that's all."

I blinked. Not quite what I was expecting. He came towards me and I stood, my posture subconsciously moving on the defensive.

"A little bird told me you like these." He unfolded one of his arms from behind his back.

Another blink. I was looking at a big, pink, sweet scented orchid. Well, at least he got the flower right.

"Um." I intelligently managed, barely able to take the flower without goggling at him. He grinned, and placed his hands on my shoulders. I froze, both mentally and physically.

When my mind unfroze, I could feel his soft breath on my lips.

_This is perfect- full moon, starlit sky, a flower, and nobody else around…_

I closed my eyes as our lips connected…

BAM!

"Aww, how cute."

I broke the lip-lock, whirled to the sound; Leonardo had his katana drawn.

"Sheeze! I was HAVING A ROMANTIC MOMENT HERE!" I yelled at the big ugly looking …guy... in front of us, trying to drown my initial fear with bravado. It laughed, an awful grating sound. Leonardo moved in front of me, and I turned my gaze to the streets below.

_ Oh shiii- _> I didn't even finish the thought, as a pulse of released energy bowled us over like pins. I'd been blasted to the edge of the roof, and chanced a look downward at nighttime Manhattan. I could feel my eyes widen painfully, a ragged scream aching for release in my throat. Rising shakily, I gazed helplessly at the nightmarish sight below.

The city was burning- alight with fires, explosions, and fear- a snaking path of destruction moving in our general direction. Screams coming from bystanders and innocent people walking the streets wavered faintly in the chill night air. Shockwaves rippled through the air, as lighting bursts spattered the highrises, pavement, ...oh god, the people... the stench of burning flesh filling the air...

A massive explosion from a Shell station snapped me out of the suicidal catatonia that had me inching to the ledge.

"LEO!" I shrilled, a tendril of fear worming into my guts. I knew who was doing this… there was no mistake in the signature of this persons mind, filling my own like a clarion- a klaxon of death, waxing and waning horrifically with each new blast of energy…

Leonardo looked back, eyes following my pointed arm and swore- something I'd never heard of him to do. I could tell he felt the energy, but it was obvious he didn't get the clues. I stole a glance at the enemy raising itself to its feet, then the fire escape ladder.

"We gotta get the others." Leo murmured out of the corner of his mouth

"Well, I'm not leaving you!" I softly snarled, drawing myself into a fighting stance. He glared at me, but I refused to budge. No way.

"Mikaela!"

"NO!" I shouted, sliding in front of him, like a shield. "You go- you're quicker!"

I could almost feel him roll his eyes. "We'll both go, once we take care of this thing."

"'Kay." I conceded, launching myself at the first lackey flanking the 'hulk'. He went down pretty easy, just a few hits and kicks. Boss-guy was a big mean ugly looking dude, and seemingly tougher than leather.

Between taking down lackeys' mano y mano, I caught glimpses of Leonardo in a full-blown ninja whirlwind, hacking and slicing at Boss-guy- frightening, yet eerily beautiful to watch.

_ Yatta! >_ I exulted as I finished off the last minor threat, moving to align myself with _my_ 'toitle' against Boss-guy.

"KYOHEIIIIIIII!" Roaring my war cry, I raced over the immobile bodies, hurling myself into the fray.

* * *

"Dude, Leo's in trouble." Mikey announced, startling me out of my reverie. Lillian and I had been poring over documents, blueprints, schematics and so forth for the past four or so hours. My head was aching with exhaustion, and Lillian was napping in my room. 

"What makes you say that Mikey?" I asked, brow furrowed. I had a slight tingling spread through me, and silent alarms started going off in my head. Of all of us, Mikey seemed to be the most intuitive, but still the silliest.

Mikey frowned at his lap, hands clasped within. "I've got one of those feelings going on. Totally not cool." He looked over at me, the slightest flash of fear passing through his expression. "Maybe we should check up on them?"

"Why not use the shell cell?" I pointed out the obvious.

Mike held up a blue striped shell cell. "Cause Leo left his here!" A snicker. "Guess he didn't want interruptions, eh?"

I rolled my eyes. "Come on." I went to the lab, to see a sleepy head gazing blearily at me.

"Something wrong Don?"

"Me and Mikey are going to check up on Leo and Mika." I pecked Lillian on the forehead and passed her Leo's shell cell. "We'll call you on this if there actually is trouble, and Leo's not getting hit on by your pal. Literally," I added with a wink. Lillian gave me a sleepy smile, a hug, and fumbled back to my bed.

"Be careful Don. Don't get hurt." She said, underlying meaning understood.

"I won't."

* * *

(**A bit later**) 

"No kidding!" I whistled at the carnage, the marauded, gutted and utterly ruined buildings in appreciation. "Somebody had a blast!"

"Duh, Mikey." Mika-babe said flatly. Seems she was still pissed off at having her 'moment' messed with, and was currently wrapped up in our fearless leader's protective arms. "And I know who did it too."

"Well, don't keep us waiting!" Lillian snapped, having been rousted out of bed for 'cleanup crew'. We, turtles and gals, were currently on an unscathed sky-rise overlooking the fire department's efforts to contain the blaze that raged through the lower west side of Manhattan.

"Ana." She said, clipped and steely. "Although I have no idea why."

Lillian looked thoughtful as she leaned on an A/C unit. "We really need to stop by 'the Lab', and give them a bit of correction. Me and Donnie have everything you need for infiltration, layouts etc."

"Okay doofus," Mikaela snaked out of the embrace; bopped Lillian lightly, "Without Ana, how do we even get under their security!"

"That's the hard part."

* * *

(**Even later than before**) 

"Aw come on!" I whined. It wasn't fair! "How come I'm ALWAYS the distraction?"

Leo raised an eyeridge. "Because you're good at it, bro." He punched me lightly on the shoulder. "Think of it as Broadway or something. You know, your greatest performance?"

I glared at him. "There're traps, scary dogs, even more scary mutants, guys with guns bigger than I am out there, and you want me to put on a Broadway show? Sounds fun!" I cheered, to all's amusement.

"Don't get bit, Mikey." Raph laughed, following Mikaela up the ladder out of our Lair. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Don't wreck her bike Raphie!"

"MIKE!"

The hatch slammed shut as Lillian's cell phone rang.

"Yea? Oh hey Lua- uh huh? Crap. Mm hmm… okay, good. We're going to try and put and end to their ops tonight. " Incoherent mumbling on the other side. "No, stay put. It's safer that way. No we don't need Az or Gabby. Keep 'em there; they'll be safer than anywhere else, if they're targeting mutants. No we don't know exactly who, just 'them'. Gotta go now see ya!" She hurriedly hung up on an obviously protesting Lua. "Showtime guys, let's get moving."

"Can I drive?"

"For the last time, NO Mikey!"

"You guys are no fun!"

"You can drive on the way home, okay?"

"Lillian, if you let him drive, we will not get home. Just a forewarning."

"Oh, shut up Leonardo, let him have fun." Lillian said, adding darkly, "It could be the last time, kay?"

* * *

(**Later than last time!**) 

The wind whipped through the open top of the convertible, stinging the eyes of those without the special 'sunglasses' Lillian had, which showed the landscape in a variety of luminescence, such as infrared, heat signature, and target lock for the human species.

So far nothing was reading as they, Lillian, Donnie, Mike, and Leo, wound through the country-scape of upper New York State.

"Is it just me, or does New York always happen to be the site for mishap and destruction?" Donnie asked wryly.

"Why not?" Mike countered, "This place seems to be a harbor for all mankind- the perfect spot for alien invasions, giant mutant lizards, natural disasters… why shouldn't powerful, pissed off mutants and crazed human geneticists be left out?"

"True."

"Got something on screen." Lillian cut in sharply, taking a fast corner. "Human, large build, high blood signature- he's moving fast- and… oh hell, he's been mutated, and it's not pretty." She increased speed, tearing past a field of tall grains. "Coming up on the left guys!"

The three turtles eyed the left pitch of grain field, wary for some mutant to come tearing out of it like something out of Jeepers Creepers. At least, that's what Mike was muttering about.

"BLOODY HELL!" Lillian shouted, wrenching the wheel over, narrowly missing a hulking mass of writhing flesh. All ducked as a tentacle-slash-arm snatched out at them, missing Don and Mike, and latching on to Leonardo's shell.

Leo yelped as he was plucked out of the speeding car like a running mouse from a hidden cat. "WHOA!"

"Turn around!" Donnie yelled, unstrapping his staff while releasing the safety belt. Mike hadn't been wearing his, and was turned, ready to leap out of the car when it slowed.

"Hold on!" Lillian shouted, pumping the brakes, and spinning the wheel, taking them into a controlled 180-degree spin. Tires squealed as the pedal struck metal, catching ever so often as gears were taken up a notch. Upon reaching the spot where Leo'd been snatched, all that remained was a smudgey, viscous sludge- but no trail!

"Where'd they go!"

Lillian slammed on the brakes, almost throwing Mike over the hood with the forced stop, unstrapped herself, stood and scanned the horizon with her special glasses.

"One klick that way," She pointed through the field, "Leo seems to be holding his own… shit! There are more of them! They're carrying him off… let's go." She sat back down, buckled up, and after checking that the boys were strapped in, launched the car through the field of grain, faintly apologetic to whomever owned said field.

* * *

(**Near the lab**) 

Mikaela held on tight, as Raph expertly piloted her dirt bike through the foliage, taking harrowing turns and flying over ditches, until they were at the perimeter fence of Installation 12.

"Ok, now the fun begins. Hopefully the others will be here soon," Mika pulled off her pack, took out heavy-duty wire cutters- grunting with effort as she cut through the fence, "Otherwise it's just us against god-knows how many men, mutants, and animals- all armed to the teeth."

"Thanks for the encouraging speech, doll." Raph drawled sarcastically, taking the proffered cutting tool.

Mika stood, pulling the fence back enough for Raph to ease through. "How many times have I told you not to call me 'Doll'?" She chuckled, giving him a light kick to the rear, before easing herself through. She pulled the fence back into place, hoping that no one took too much notice in the fence-line.

"Not enough, it seems. Don't kick me either doll." Raph grinned.

Mika chuckled as the two mutants stole off through the night, across what could've been the most dangerous place to be without a visitors pass.

* * *

A/N: Darn it's been a while since I wrote much for this! Thanks for the reviews, and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! 


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Don't own them, never will, but lay a hand on my OC and DIEEE! just kidding! **

**CH.20: The Beginning

* * *

**

**(Lillian's POV:)

* * *

**

Wheat, wheat, and oh look! More wheat.

No Leo.

"Don, can you steer this thing?" I snarled, mostly out of irritation for my goggles. They weren't registering ANYTHING! It was as if the mutants had vanished into thin air!

"Never driven before," Don said, startled by my tone. "Horse, yes- car, no." he joked, drawing some mirth out of my bubble. I giggled.

"I can dudes." Mikey offered from his lookout post in the backseat.

"No way Mikey, I am not letting you drive; not after watching you play Need for Speed!" Donnie argued, "You crashed that car fifty times!"

"Mike, take the wheel while I scout from the back. I can see more in-depth than you can." I stated, praying to any and all gods that Mike would NOT get into 'extreme-video' mode. I don't think the car could stand that, myself and Don, either.

"Sure thing, dudette!" Mike enthused, a little too happily for my harried heart and soul. "Move over Donnie, will ya?"

After a delicate game of cat and mouse over the steering and pedals, Mike was firmly planted in the driver's seat, and I was grasping the roll bar, standing erect, scanning the horizon. We went over a rough patch, nearly spilling me out the back of the convertible. Mike swore. I winced.

_Please don't hurt my baby...

* * *

_

**(Elsewhere...)

* * *

**

Staff Sergeant Hammer, the Entrance guard, was nervous. The higher ups in the joint weren't talking, but the fear he'd initially sensed had doubled, or tripled overnight. Maybe it had something to do with that broad they brought in last night, or maybe it had to do with the senior executive locking himself in the control room. Either way, he'd noticed a steady trickle of exec's and techs leaving in the past sixteen hours. Something was up.

"Brody," He drawled over the two-way to his junior, a Corporal of the guard, "Have you noticed anything unusual lately?"

Cpl Brody, who was returning from perimeter patrol with Sergeant Duke, pulled out his piece.

"Sure thing, Staff Sergeant," He sounded excited over the crackling radio, "We've got some trespassers in custody."

Hammer blinked, frowned, then snarled: "Brody, this is a shoot-on-sight premises." Rubbing his forehead, he bulled on, "Why, might I ask, do you have _prisoners?_"

"Sir, they are some pret-ty unusual prisoners. We're bringing them to the south corner of the Main Hatch." Now Cpl Brody sounded nervous," Can you meet us there?"

"You'd better have a damn good reason for me to leave my post- Johnson!" Hammer barked, causing an earsplitting squeal to sound over the comm., "Take over for a few! I've got some business to attend to outside the Hatches." Turning back to the radio, he growled low and long, "Brody, this had better be damn good, or it's your ass. _Got it?_"

"Aye, Staff Sergeant!"

* * *

**(outside)

* * *

**

"Okay Brody, what the he- _urk!_" SSgt Hammer found himself caught in a vise grip. Reaching for his gun, he yelped as a rough hand snatched it away.

"Don't even think about it, Mac," a rough, Brooklyn-esque, voice purred in his ear, "Or I'll make sure the lights I'll put out never come on again…"

"What do you want?" He croaked, scratching futilely at the smooth, yet tough arm with both hands.

"Your cooperation." A distinctly female voice murmured from his left. Craning his neck, Sgt Hammer couldn't see nil until she stepped forward into the moonlight. "Your cronies, I assume." She smirked as two stumbling figures were shoved towards him.

"Brody!" He managed to snarl before the arm tightened again.

"I have to admit, I thought the military had improved its men," The shadowy woman mocked, "We found these two easily enough, and had them disarmed and squealing like stuck pigs before you could say 'Bob's your uncle'." She glanced disdainfully down at the hog-tied bundle that was Brody and Duke.

"However," The Brooklyn voice piped up, "We would ask for your 'assistance' in this operation."

Before he knew it, SSgt Hammer was bound, gagged, and seated on the dirt before two very imposing figures… wearing what looked like masks.

"This place is the site where the worst of human science is bred." The female began, "A place where human and animal genes are crossed to create monsters uglier, rougher, and more terrifying than anything Stephen King could possibly dream up. Now the 'masters' that created them are gone, and the science projects are loose upon the world." Hammer could feel her glare radiating through the darkness before him, and internally cowered. "We got lucky, though. They seem to be concentrated mostly in and around New York City- and don't seem to care what they take out in their quest for whatever. Mutant rights, revenge, who knows."

"What we do know is that this is the centralized location for the production of these pitiful creatures, and we are here to stop it."

"Eloquently put, Raph." The female snapped.

Brody glanced at Hammer with wide, scared eyes. "Sir, they're here to kill the boss and blow this place up! We can't let 'em!"

Hammer glared at the shadows. "We're not kept up to date on all that goes around here. All we take care of is keeping people out, and making sure nobody knows of this place. For all I know it could be a Chinese fruit factory, but I'd still do my job. You could be telling us lies in hopes of gaining access and secrets. Sorry, you foreign bastards, you're not stealing U.S. secrets on my watch! JOHNS- ack!"

Cut off from alerting the guards, Hammer felt himself propelled backwards by the throat, and slammed against the wall. With the help of the faint moonlight and glow from a panel, Hammer saw a very face from Hell, green and menacing with piercing eyes and blood-red bandanna, glowering at him.

"Do I look like a frigging foreigner to you?" The Brooklyn accent said.

Hammer gaped like a fish out of water, opening and closing his mouth, with nary a word to say.

"We were mutated too," The female voice said compassionately, stepping forward. He could see her mutated, yet still so human visage gazing back at him mournfully. "We're trying to stop these experiments before they happen to anyone else. Who knows," Morbid tones took over, "You could be next…"

* * *

**(In that stupid Wheatfield; Donnie's POV)

* * *

**

"GOT 'EM!" Lillian cried, startling me again. "Due west Mike! Blitzing too!"

Mikey yanked the wheel around. We spun so hard I almost lost my lunch, my perch, and my girl- in one go!

"MIKE! West is the OTHER WAY!" Lillian muffled somewhere from behind us, possibly the floor.

"Gotcha babe!" Mike pulled us into a screaming one-eighty, us passengers holding on for dear life.

"Mike, please- no more crazy stunts" I whimpered. I loved my brother, but if he kept doing this, I was going to smack him one good!

We tore along through the field, raced through a deserted highway, and rammed into a chain-link fence that snapped under the impact.

"Oops, didn't see that one," Mike muttered as we all ducked from flying metallic hail.

"MIIIIKE!" Lillian roared in my ear. Sure wasn't going to hear anything after that one.

**BOOM!**

We smashed headlong into a low-lying brick wall, sending all of us airborne; as none, I repeat _none,_ of us were wearing seatbelts. I heard a distant cracking sound, and the world fizzled out.

* * *

**(A little while later...)

* * *

ker-sploosh **

"GAH!" I cried, sitting up fast. Too fast by the way my head was pounding; the world was spinning, and everything was totally out of focus. Two blurs were hovering over me, like flies on shit. Kinda what I felt like at the moment…

"Oh, thank god," One of the blurs sighed, and embraced me. The other gently dabbed at what was likely a head wound.

"You ok bro?" A green blur, probably Mike, asked as it glided away.

"Dizzy, in a lot of pain, and the vision is blurry."

"Hon, you've likely got a concussion." Lillian said, kissing my forehead. "Mike and I are ok, we landed in a pile of leaves and brush, but you landed on a not so soft patch of moss. Thank the gods you landed on your shell instead of your neck or head or arms or…"

"Hush," I said, her blurry form coming more and more into focus. I hugged Lillian, trying to calm what looked like hysteria bubbling under her frequently calm façade.

"Oh god Don, you could have died!" She wailed into my shoulder as I stroked her hair. She pulled back to cradle my face and kissed me again. It was nice, to say the least, despite the ringing in my ears and the headache.

"Awww, nerds in love! How cute!" Mikey carried on, always the joker.

I threw a few leaves and a branch at him.

"Shut up," I proclaimed, and kissed my girl again.

* * *

**(At the compound)

* * *

**

"Is there any way you can jam the security cameras?" Raph demanded.

"Not really, we don't actually _handle_ the cameras, we use them. That would be the electricians and interior guard. Johnson might know." Hammer whispered.

"Well shit, is there ANY way we can get into this hell hole!" I griped, waving my arms for emphasis.

"Doll, usually people are trying to get _out_ of hell holes."

"You are so _not_ helping."

Brody, I noticed, had been awfully quiet for the past few minutes. The others were griping at us, Duke through a gag. Gears cranking away, I rounded on him.

"Look, I know your job is to keep people out," I said calmly, yanking him to his feet and bringing his pimply boy-face inches from mine, "but _where is an entrance?_"

Brody looked like he was trying real hard to keep his composure, but ended cracking when I shook him like a rag doll for a bit. "Th-there's one by the north tower! It's a ventilation shaft that leads to the control zone! H-honest!"

I dropped him, grateful to get his stinky breath out of my nostrils, and turned to Duke, "Is this true?"

Duke nodded, looking like Lillian when I blew up her lab. _Pissed_.

To Raph: "Let's go."

"Wait! What's gonna happen to us?" The chickenshit Brody whined as the gag went back on.

I pretended to be thoughtful. "Ionno, Raph. They did help us, but shit, they're weasely Army pukes… what do you think we oughta do?"

Raph grinned as he tied the knot of the gag. Hammer snarled behind it; we walked off, leaving them well hidden in the shadows. Looking back, I saw his eyes blaze murder, and I had a feeling I knew why.

I grinned.

"Upstaged by a Mutant, bi-yatch!"

* * *

**A/N:** Another update! Hooray! And a further milestone no less! Who can guess what happens in the next chapter? We'll see what my mind cooks up (as I seem to be flying by the seat of my pants) and what mayhem the 'Mutants of NYC' get themselves into! 

Special thanks to all those who've kept poking, prodding, and sporking me into writing, no matter WHAT state of address I'm in.

Oh, and I promise to have those chapters to you as soon as I can Ramica!

With love,

The Spade


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The Beginning (soon to be re-titled)

* * *

The car was now utterly useless. Michaelangelo had not only smashed the engine block in, thus preventing any immediate use, but had also upended the entire Mustang GT _into_ the well.

How do you explain that to your insurance company without sounding like a Bellevue patient?

_ Only Mikey could do something that impossible>_ Donatello mused wryly. Lillian was positively fuming over the loss of her beloved car, and was giving Mike the silent treatment while they scanned the horizon for Leonardo and his captors.

They finally decided to begin walking in the last known direction the blob-things had been traveling in, due west. Every so often slime tracks would appear, depressions where a blob had rolled over, and on one awful occasion, droplets of blood. Don and Lil had to convince Mike that Leo wasn't dead or dying, he'd simply been fighting his captors. Though they themselves weren't sure, and did not want to acknowledge that possibility.

Not Leo.

So far the search had yielded zilch, zip, nada- and the trio were growing more and more disjointed, disgruntled, and discouraged with the way things were slipping along.

"You know, you'd think those big ugly puddings would be more like Jabba the Hutt. _SLOW._" Mike griped, stomping along behind 'Miss-mouse and her pet turtle'. Donnie rolled his eyes.

"Mike, has anything we've come across thus far made any sense?"

"No, but it oughta!" The orange-bandanna wearer moaned.

"Hush both of you…" Lillian cautioned, stopping so suddenly as to cause a three-man pileup. (Mayhem ensues: Get your foot out of my ear! Ow, my beak! You're stepping on my _hair!_)

After the three had untangled themselves, hair and beaks nursed and back in proper place, a low rumble and tremor rippled through the rocky dirt beneath them.

"Is it me, or do you guys hear something?" Donnie ventured, giving voice to the sudden fear, tilting his ear towards the ground that trembled more and more violently under their feet.

With a riotous slide of earth and a thunderous roar, the ground beneath them gave way to a gaping maw. In a drenching spray of mud, sand, and rock, its prey was coated in the mixture and tumbled into the abyss of absolute darkness.

* * *

**In Earth's newest pockmark…**

cough wheeze

"Duh….duh-" AACHOO! "-Donnie?" A filthy Lillian wheezed, choking on the cloying mist of dust and dirt, feeling her way through the darkness for the familiarity.

"Over here," Mikey called, voice muffled by the pressing blackness. He sounded anxious, and rightly so; "Donnie's out like a light again."

"Mumble mumble," Lillian snarled, crawling in the direction of the voice, her daypack dragging behind by a strap. "Did you check his vitals?" She asked, worried- less so than before- but still worried.

"Everything seems okay, as far as I can tell," Mikey replied, adding, "But all I can really check for in the dark is a pulse!"

"Which he's got, I assume?"

"Yeah, strong and steady."

Lil sighed, pulling her bangs from her face with a grimace. She felt dirty and disgusting in this oversized pothole, covered from head to foot in god knew what. She could also feel a slow trickle from her cheek, leading her to believe she bled some. "Are you okay?" She asked of Mike, praying that she didn't have _two_ turtles out of commission.

"I feel great!" Mike replied, an audible grin touching his features, "Itwas like sliding down that awesome tunnel-pipe that leads to the treatment center!"

"Yuck." Lil decreed of that, as she swung the daypack around in front of her, unzipped a pouch and fished around. "Yes!" She exulted, bringing a flashlight out and on to bear. "Now we can make sure he's just out."

Lillian, an experienced animal doctor, had little trouble evaluating Donatello's condition, checking his eyes, ears, feeling his windpipe for blockage, pulse and all those things that doctors' love doing to us, regardless of the comfort level. Her diagnosis was that Donatello was sufficiently stable to be picked up and hauled off to wherever they were going, as he was simply unconscious,yet likely to wake up soon.

Glancing the flashlight off the walls of the cave, no, turns out they were in a _tunnel._ Lillian and Mike groaned simultaneously in annoyance. The hole from which they'd been pitched through was at least fifteen feet from the ground Donnie was laying upon, and about ten feet from either wall of the abnormally large, and distinctly _not_ man-made tunnel.

"Well," Lillian said, snapping off the light to conserve batteries, donned a pair of Infrared goggles, and handed Mikey a pair. Upon realizing that he had no clue about how to operate them, Lillian gave him a quick lesson and switched them on for him.

"Dude, these are awesome!" Mike exclaimed, waving his hands around, reveling in the absurd colors his body happened to read as. Lillian giggled at this display before silencing him with an attention grabbing clearing of the throat.

"We have two options, Michaelangelo. First, we can waste our energy trying to figure out a way to climb back out of the hole in this tunnel, or second, we can follow it to the end, since…" Her eyes gleamed orange through Michaelangelo's IR Specs; "…this tunnel leads in the direction we were heading, and, according to the nav-pad, _right to Installation 12 **Headquarters**!_" Lillian crowed.

"Sounds fun, but what are we gonna do about Donnie?" Mike asked, sounding abnormally reasonable. "We can't just leave him here, alone in the dark… who knows if those things that have Leo won't come back for him?"

"Well, in solution to that problem, it's a darn good thing that I packed a poncho," She said glancing at Mike, who sort of looked curious. Who knew what expression he had with those goggles on!

She continued explaining as the poncho was unpacked and unfurled, "A poncho has many more uses than to keep you from getting rained on. It makes a good tent, a warm liner for a bed of moss or whatever is nearby in the woods, a-and," She trailed, rolling Donnie onto his side, pulling the poncho under his frame, "Hey, gimme a hand here quick!"

Mike dodged forward to steady Donnie from falling hard onto his shell again. Lillian continued, "Okay, and another use of ponchos are for a good buddy-drag sheet. Clothes only work for so long," She stated with a grin that shone red on white through his goggles.

After adjusting Donnie's body on the green-brown digital patterned poncho, Lillian grabbed a fistful of the end near Don's head, motioning Mike to do the same. Once both had his head safely off the hard packed earth, they began a slow buddy-drag down into the forbearing darkness.

"So what if we run into those things again?" Mike asked, switching his grip on the poncho from left fist to right.

"We do what we've been trained to do!" Lillian chuckled, "You fight 'em; I'll dissect 'em!"

Their playful banter continued down the darkness towards the hateful Installation 12.

* * *

**In the air ducts of Installation 12…**

"I can't believe the only lousy entrance was a miserable air shaft that's ('Thank God', Mika interjected) not even guarded! Come on, where's the fight!" Raphael griped irritably as they inched through the dusty narrow crawlspace. Mikaela rolled her eyes, punching his foot lightly in response. A shower of dust, kicked up by Raphael's feet choked her nostrils and mouth, causing a coughing riot to echo up and down the shaft.

"Quiet, will ya?" Raph growled, scooting forward over a ventilation shaft. Mikaela glared at him as she brought her coughing under control.

"Asshole," She wheezed, slipping over the ventilation shaft with ease. Using a penlight, Mikaela checked the crude map she'd drawn before they braved the labyrinth of the airshafts in the hellhole. "Next drop point is ours. We'll be in Giuseppe's lab. It's a safe place, he used to be a friend, and he's been our contact during our infiltrations."

"Gotcha," Raph cheered softly, delighted at the prospect of a brawl. The two inched to a T-junction in the vents, where their drop point supposedly was. Raph peeked through the slats, once-overing the room. Feeling something poke him in the foot, he glared back at Mikaela who grinned and slid a small mirror attached to a stick to him. Grunting a thank you, he used the mirror to thoroughly inspect the premises they were about to invade.

"Clear," He murmured, using his sai to unscrew the pieces holding the slats in place. Once done, he passed the slats back to Mika who drew a stun gun, just in case there was any trouble.

Dropping stone quick through the opening and to the floor, Raph rolled to a desk, staying low since the lab had a window in the main door. Mikaela peered cautiously over into the room before flipping down as well. Assured that neither had been seen, Raph boosted Mika up so she could wedge the slat back into place. "Wouldn't want to attract attention, would we?" She joked.

"This is weird. Normally Giuseppe would be around here somewhere." Mikaela frowned, scanning over the spilled contents of beakers, jars and other unmentionables lying broken about the place. Horrified, Mikaela commented on the stains on the wall resembling something like blood.

"Looks like someone decided it was time to go nuts, or something worse than I thought is going on around here." She gagged, stepping towards the door. "Come on, we'd better be gone before whatever did this comes back for more…"

Stealthy as cats, the two erred on the side of caution. Mikaela used her blending powers to turn wall-white and slip out the door undetected. Motioning through the window to Raph, he slid out as well, and the two stole down the empty halls towards the area that announced Ana's telepathic signature strongest.

"You know, I'm getting a weird feeling," Mikaela said softly, darting around a corner.

"Me too," Raph agreed, following along behind. "Where are all the guards? The techs? All those other nerds that work here?"

"Good question." Mika responded darkly, "Hopefully there won't be any nasty surprises."

**BLORSH-SPLISH…**

"Spoke too soon, doll," Raph announced, wheeling around withhis sais ready.

"Crap!" Mikaela hollered, drawing the stun gun. Powering it to max voltage, she zapped at a large blob of what looked like… barf pudding with eyes. "Yeek!" She screeched, dodging a nasty, ugly, gross looking yellow and brown tentacle that shot out at her. "Man, that's disgusting!"

Zapping the blob again, she focused her attention on Raphael's efforts. Apparently the turtle was noworse off than she was. Long yellow and brown whipcords of blob material oozed itself around his left bicep, and the blob worried him like a dog does a bone. Raph gritted his teeth as he tried to saw at the ropey flesh with his available sai. Slashing and poking at them hadn't done much more than release an odiferous smell and make them more agitated. More fleshy, ropelike material began to ooze its way around his legs and torso, constricting him in similar fashion to an anaconda. Gasping, he futilely continued to saw away at the cords on his arm. Stars began dancing at the edge of his vision as the Blob drew him closer to its hide. A saw-tooth edged canyon was revealed as two fleshier bits parted.

_ I'm gonna be eaten! Oh HELL no!> _He thought muzzily, weakly hacking at the thing.

Abruptly, a bright flash entered his vision, followed by the crackling, reeking scent of burning flesh. The cords loosened and he collapsed under their weight, gasping for oxygen.

"Raph!" Mikaela yelled, shaking his shoulders gently, "Are you ok!"

"…Pissed off..." Was his succinct reply. He rubbed his sore neck and arm, grimacing. "What got 'im?"

"Taser." Mikaela quipped, dropping said object into his lap. "You can have one, since your weapons don't seem to work on them." She said, adding as an afterthought, "Whatever the hell they are. I had it on a low setting so I wouldn't hurt you."

Raph held up the taser, appreciating its shapely ovalesque design, and the wicked barb at the end. It was about as long as a nightstick, a little weighty, due to the large battery pack required to charge it and the spring to launch the barb into unsuspecting persons.

"Nice." He approved, testing it in the hulk of charred flesh that was the burned and unconscious (assumed, of course) blob-creature. The barb buried itself in the pliant flesh, sizzled and sparked as the line attached to it activated. The blob creature convulsed horribly, and then went still, sagging out of its roundish appearance into a shapeless, murky puddle of brown-yellow goop.

"I think you killed it." Mikaela whispered. Raph's eyes hardened.

"Doll, this thing tried to kill us!" He snarled, turning his face away from Mikaela, staring down the hall. "There's gonna be more of these I'm sure, and we need to take 'em down!"

"Fine. Short bursts only." Mikaela snapped, "We're here to rescue Ana from whatever bastard that took her, not to kill. _Stun only_."

Raph grunted assent.

"Now, since this place seems abandoned, I think we don't need to worry that much about human interference. Let's go." With that Mikaela took off running down the hall, taser in hand.

Raph shook his head. "Women." He muttered, sprinting after the hotheaded little mutant.

**In the executive center…**

The blackness of a conference lounge, lightened only by the eerie luminescence of LCD and CRT monitors, swathed a control console and a large luxurious swivel chair.

"Abandoned you say?" A nasal voice purred, sounding whiney yet dark at the same time. The owner pushed a small orange button glowing on the panel. "Fear not little ones, for you'll soon meet my ultimate fighters." The chair swiveled noiselessly, revealing nothing save for the outline of a figure, as a hidden door opened.

Four figures marched out single file.

"Prototype 1, 2, 3, and 4 reporting sir." The lead remarked tonelessly, eyes vacant. The collar around its neck blinked as input flashed over the wireless conduit.

"See the screen, dears?" The voice chuckled, merry and scary at the same time. All four pairs of blank eyes glanced at the frozen images of Mikaela and Raphael. "Those are the ones that need to be punished. They've broken the law and trespassed." Voice hardened. "Go get them."

"Yes sir," Drone one replied in the same toneless voice, marching out the entrance with the other three controlees in tow. A slivery gleam reflected off the top of one as they passed into the corridor, leaving little to the imagination for what its purpose was.

As they traveled from dark unto light the 'Controller' laughed evilly. "My greatest invention yet, and these nasty turtles had to interfere once again! After all these years of research and patience, I shall finally have my revenge!"

Pushing his glasses up further on the bridge of his nose, Baxter Stockman leaned back patiently (patience was a practiced art of his) waiting for the fun to begin.

* * *

A/N: Woo hoo! Chapter 21 of my series! Sorry it's taken so long for me to update, but work is slave driving me. My imagination was finally refueled and I was able to crank this one out. Oh and don't hate me for using Baxter. I couldn't think of an evil enough genius that actually existed in the movie-verse, or the new series. Besides, old-school rocks! cheers 


	22. Chapter 22

The Beginning Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or anything affilated as such. I own my OC's.

* * *

Inside Installation 12…

Drone One strode boldly down the corridors of Installation 12. Being a natural leader, he had assumed command of the group, splitting the group on a base wide search for the culprits. Two had been sent through the basement, Three through the ventilators, and Four on the topmost levels of the building.

His destination, at last. Standing in front of the great gray structures studying the wiring, he slowly unsheathed a weapon, sliced off the double-barrel hinges of the largest one, and reveled in the twinkling lights of the main power-grid for the station. Careful to hold the switch by the grips, he pushed. Muscles straining the switch stubbornly gave ground until it flipped. Sparks flew, plunging them into startling darkness.

* * *

**Elsewhere…**

"Great, what else can happen?" Raphael complained as the lights blew out. Mikaela shushed him, peering around a corner.

"Clear here," She murmured, stealing about. "Question. Do you have any idea where Leo might be? We find Leo, we'll likely find Ana and the jerks that kidnapped them."

Raph sighed. "Don't have a clue, doll."

"Don't call me doll- _shhh_!" Mikalea whispered, peering at the ceiling. Raphael leaned in close to her ear.

"You hear that?" He whispered. Mika indicated she did, slowly nodding. She pointed up, and backed away from one ventilation shaft, eyes riveted. A steady sliding/scraping noise was creeping closer to their location- possibly an ambush.

Raphael drew his sais, thought the better, then drew the taser Mika had supplied him with.

Mika grabber her taser just as sparks flew in a minor explosion, the vent shaft blasting downwards in a cloud of smoke and flying debris.

"That's her!" Mika shouted, aiming in, about to send a knockout dose of electricity through the pink-haired kidnappers body. The barb flew true, but didn't seem to affect her.

Pink-hair (a.k.a Samare Jacques) smirked and closed her eyes, drawing the juice out of the battery powering the taser. The air crackled with static, as before a lightning strike. Samare opened her eyes, a shocking pale green, no visible pupils (contrasting to her normally light blue irises), raised her arms with fingers extended, and sent a lethal bolt of white-hot lightning right at Mikaela's midsection.

Mikaela shrieked as the energy threatened to rip her body apart. Raphael took advantage of the distraction and threw a sai at the electric witch. Said sai struck home in her upper thigh, effectively distracting her, and changing the current's directional flow. Pink haired screamed in pain as the blast inverted itself upon her, screamed even more as she yanked the sai out, before collapsing in a heap. Raph grabbed the sai, snapped a shot off on her temple, effectively rendering her unconscious, and ran to the smoking pile where Mikaela lay, groaning.

"Mikaela!" Raph yelled, before checking himself. It wasn't safe here anymore, and yelling would only attract more enemies, possibly worse than the pink lookalike lying in a heap, bleeding. Mikaela groaned as he rolled her over, clothing singed badly, skin raw looking and burned in places.

"God…" She moaned, clutching her stomach. "Remind me never to piss off a super-conductor like that again." Raph gave a weak laugh, then yelped as she lifted her arms from her stomach.

The skin and underlying flesh had been burned away, revealing damaged organs beneath. The reason she'd been hold her stomach was to literally keep it in.

"Oh my god, Mika-" Raphael trailed off, at a loss of what to do for the badly injured mutant woman.

Mika hitched, laughed, made a face, then spit up blood. "No worries bro." Raphael looked confused. Mikaela closed her eyes, an intense look of concentration on her face.

Raphael looked on in awe as he could see her body healing, the burns being the first to go. The tissue took a little longer, but the knitting fascinated him with its speed; muscle growing over the hole that revealed her internal organs, followed by subcutaneous, then cutaneous tissues, and finally deeply tanned skin.

Several minutes later Mikaela rose, grimaced at her charred jumpsuit, then walked over to the unconscious woman, leaving a dazed Raphael in her wake. "Quick healer, remember?" She called back. Raphael shook his head in disbelief.

"Hey, Raph!" She called, waving him over. "Check this out," She said, nudging the woman's neck collar with a toe of her boot. "Five bucks says she's engineered." She laughed darkly, nudging at the woman until she stirred.

"Don't move." Raphael ordered menacingly, squatting down beside her, a sai at the ready. The woman looked up, frightened.

"Who are you people?" She whimpered, cringing as pain lanced through her. "What happened?"

"Well, to cut it short, you kidnapped my friend, we followed you, you attacked us, and we fought back. You lost, by the way." Mikaela snapped harshly, squatting down as well.

"Damn them," The woman moaned angrily, then her chiseled expression softened in supplication. "Help me please," She begged, shakily raising her arm to point at the collar she wore. "They use me for their dirty work with this. Is there any way you can remove it?"

The two mutants above her blinked in confusion. "How do they use you?" and" How do we know this isn't a trick?" babbled out together.

Samare closed her eyes in pain, then responded:

"The boss, whom I have never seen, made these control devices for us mutants, turning us into his slaves. I don't know the technical specifications, but I wasn't able to remove it, and I can neither remember events that take place while it is in 'on' mode." She supplicated again, "Please, help me get rid of it!"

Mikaela scratched her head, puzzled. "I suppose we can trust her. Maybe she can even lead us to the other controllees?" She asked of Raphael. Raph looked disapproving, then shrugged, as if to say 'suit yourself'.

Mikaela reached down and pulled it the collar. "Sorry if I pinch you," She said absently.

No luck. The metal wouldn't budge. Mikaela twisted harder, making frustrated noises. Raphael soled his eyes. "Move outta the way, doll." He growled, glaring that the poor woman. Taking his sai, he jabbed it down hard onto the metal control box, which sparked and sizzled in its death throes. "There."

"Or we can do it that way," Mikaela muttered, annoyed. The captive woman rose to her feet, albeit unsteadily, favoring her right leg over her left as Raphael left a deep puncture wound in her left thigh, missing her artery by inches. Limping, she walked over to and leaned on a wall.

"There's more like me here, you may know." She said. "However, please, let me introduce myself. I am Samare Jacques, also known as Sammy-Jack, or Sam. There are four of us total, and I think my cellmate is your friend. She told me about how I stole her away," She said sorrowfully. "I am thinking that if I had attacked you, the others may be about in the building, looking for us too."

"I bet." Mikaela muttered, the spoke up. "I am almost positive that Ana has our signatures locked on and will be here soon."

**That's right**. The once-sweet-now-ominous voice filtered down into their minds. **Look out, here I come**.

"And so do I." Leonardo said, stepping out from behind a door that perhaps he had snuck into while the battle had raged. He had both katanas drawn, pointing at the meddlers.

"Leo!" Mikaela cried joyously, before expressing horror. "Oh my god, Raph! He's one of them!"

Raphael glowered at the pack leader. "I'll handle this one, doll." Dropping the taser, he drew both sais and stole silently towards his brother, who crouched into a defensive stance.

Raphael lunged; parrying a swipe from Leonardo's katana aimed at his neck, then jabbed inward with his other sai. But Leonardo twisted away, taking another slice at his brother, drawing a ribbon of blood along his right thigh. Raphael gave a bellow of rage, launching into a flurry of blows, parries, and leaps, trying to get through his brother's guard and take care of the stupid collar that held Leonardo prisoner in his own mind. Raphael flipped over head as Leo tried to round kick his legs out from under him, giving a glancing blow on the shell, offbalancing the katana wielding whirlwind for a moment, giving Raphael enough time to make a fast jab at his brother's neck, disabling the control box that powered the collar.

Leonardo dropped like a stone as the power was cut off, temporarily blacking him out, as it did Samare. A moment later, he groaned, like he did after a bad practice.

"Ouch," He grumbled, rubbing his head, which was quickly supported by an overjoyed Mikaela. "Sheesh Raphael, what happened?" He asked as his brothers concerned face swam into focus. "Dude, are you okay?" Leonardo asked, now concerned. His brother didn't act this worried over him unless something bad happened.

"Leo, you dumbass!" Raph griped, pulling Leo into a brotherly embrace. Leo confusedly returned it, looking at Mikaela for an explanation when his eyes found Samare standing off to the side.

"You!" He shouted angrily, breaking the embrace and reached for his fallen swords, "What did you do?"

"No, no, Leo, she didn't do anything!" Mikaela explained, "_Right_ Raphael?" She emphasized. Raphael nodded assent to her statement, which appeased Leonardo enough to sheathe his katanas.

"Well, then what's going on?" Leo queried warily, taking in their appearances; charred and bloody and messy.

"Well," Raphael started, but Samare cut him off, interjecting: "We were captured and turned into mindless slaves. Now we're free and looking for the ringleader, who is probably still in the building, somewhere."

"Oh." He replied. "That's it, huh?"

* * *

Elsewhere in the building, Baxter Stockmanshook in fury. Two subjects out of commission, the power gone, and no way to control what happened in his precious laboratory. Not to mention the expensive and possibly dangerous creatures roaming the city and country around the area with no leash! He idly wondered if they would try to expose him to the press. Not likely.

"Time to go." He said tonelessly, lifting a glass plate and pressing the big, shiny red button inside.

A voice crackled over the intercom: "Purging to commence in fifteen minutes. All personnel must evacuate to designated locations. Purging to commence in fifteen minutes. All…"

Baxter ignored the monotonous warning and gathered up his notes and briefcase, each containing important research for his next big project.

"This isn't over yet, turtles." He growled as he raced upstairs to the helipad. A chopper was waiting, engines warming up in preparation to depart.

* * *

Back in the building, the battle raged on.

The group of freed slaves and rescuers had been ambushed by Anastasia, who was still under the control of Stockman, and she was quickly joined by another all too familiar character.

"Saki!" Raphael bellowed, lunging at the armored man. He looked the same, yet the scars that had marred his face were missing. Leonardo noticed quickly that he also was not doing so well with his martial arts maneuvers.

"Hey Raph!" He shouted over the din the girl fight was making. "Don't finish him off! He might not really be Saki!"

"Yer kidding Fearless leader!" Raphael exclaimed in mock surprise as he swept Saki's feet out from under him. Saki snarled furiously, flipping back to his feet in a flash. "I couldn't tell, really! His technique is just so crappy, it confused me for a second." Raph shouted back sarcastically, circling the so-called Oroku Saki. Leonardo rolled his eyes and stepped back into the fray.

Meanwhile, Mikaela and Samare weren't having the best of luck getting close enough to Ana to bust the collar.

"Dammit Ana, HOLD STILL!"

**Nyah, nyah**! She taunted, floating out of reach before sending a blast of mental power Mikaela's way, sending her into convulsions. She was shaking so badly she had to close her eyes, for fear they would fall out.

TSSSSAP! Samare sent a small, carefully aimed bolt to the collar, while Mikaela 'distracted' Anastasia by allowing her to mentally throw her around.

Ping!

The bolt was deflected by an invisible shield surrounding the maniacally enthusiastic blonde, then fixing her evil smile on Samare, who gulped.

**You want to play too**? She cajoled, dropping a battered Mika in a heap of bruises.

What she didn't see was a leaping Leonardo, who klonked her on the back of the head with the butt of one sword, catching her with the other arm, and gracefully landing. He deposited her gently on the ground.

"Showoff," Raphael snorted, standing by a dazed Saki.

"Purging to commence in fifteen minutes. All personnel must evacuate to designated locations."

"What the heck is a purging?" Leonardo asked, as the message repeated itself. Abruptly a warning klaxon buzzed intermittently and lights began flashing.

"That's our cue to leave folks," Samare quipped worriedly. "We don't want to get caught in a purging."

**What the hell is a purging**? Ana growled, rubbing the back of her head.

"Well, it could be anything from gassing the place then sending fire through the halls, to blasting it to pieces from a remote location, with no one ever being the wiser. It also dissolves all stored files, I think."

"Well, now I wish Lillian was here." Mikaela murmured. "I wonder where the files are kept."

"I'm wondering where the brainiac and the nut are." Raphael said aloud.

"We don't have time to go looking for the servers."

"Shit."

"Let's go," Leonardo announced. "No sense in sitting around if this place is going to cave in on our heads."

"Aye sir."

"Whatever, let's get moving- and don't forget the Saki guy!"

Raph grumbled as he walked over to the dazed man. "Come on, we're leaving."

Saki didn't reply, he simply nodded, got up off the floor and followed.

"I do have one question, Mikaela." Leo asked.

"What's that babe?"

"How do we get out of here?"

"Crap- I forgot about that."

* * *

**In the tunnel system…**

"Whoa, what's that!" Michaelangelo yelped as a rumbling echoed fiercely though the passage they were traversing.

"I'm not sure." Lillian said, concerned. "It certainly doesn't feel like a seismic shock… maybe an explosion?"

"Look!" Michaelangelo shouted.

A wall of flames was careening it's way towards their location, writhing like forked tongues, or snakes.

"RUN!" Lillian shrilled, grabing a better hold on the poncho. Donatello stirred.

"He's awake!"

"But not well enough to get away from THAT!"

"Keep moving!"

And the flames drew closer.

* * *

A/N: Well, took me a while, but here is an actioney update! R&R please! 


End file.
